Why Are (not) We ‘Cool’?: Between The Failures of ‘Cool Japan’ and Increasing Interest in Japan

1. Why Are (not) We ‘Cool’?:
Between The Failures of
‘Cool Japan’ and Increasing
Interest in Japan
＠TokyoTech, 8th, Dec.2017
Ryosuke NISHIDA / 西田亮介
Assoc. Prof., Institute for Liberal Arts, TokyoTech
ryosukenishida@gmail.com

2. Contents
• Self-introduction
• The brief presentation on-going research topic
• Discussion
2

3. Self-Introduction
• Ryosuke Nishida, Assoc. Prof at Institute for Liberal Arts, Tokyo Tech
• Ph.D.(Media and Governance), Keio University
• Sociologist, Radio navigator, TV commentator, Author…etc
• Main Three Research Domains:
– Information Technology and Politics
• Analyzing how LDP and the other political parties promote their opinion.
– Education for Improving Democracy
• How to learn practical and the real politics and democracy.
– “Workless Society” in Japan and east Asia
• How to support younger generation not to find the decent work.
※ I’m interesting in the cultural policy for foreigners, “Cool Japan”.
As this is my on going theme, I want to be hear and discuss the topic.
3

4. • 『不寛容の本質』（2017年，経済界）: ”The Features of Intolerance”
• 『民主主義 〈一九四八‐五三〉中学・高校社会科教科書エッセンス復刻版』（2016年，幻冬
舎） : ”Democracy”
• 『メディアと自民党』（2015年，角川書店）: ”Media and Liberal Democratic Party”
– This book was prized “the book of the year 2016” by Society of Socio-Informatics.
• 『無業社会 働くことができない若者たちの未来』（2014年，朝日新聞出版）: ”Workless Socity”
• 『ネット選挙 解禁がもたらす日本社会の変容』（2013年，東洋経済新報社）:
”Internet Election: How does it effect for Japan? ”
• 『ネット選挙とデジタル・デモクラシー』（2013年，NHK出版）
”Internet Election and the Democracy”
4
Main Works(Books)

5. 5
Main Works

6. 6
What Is “Cool Japan”?

7. Research Questions①
• The meaning of “Why are (not)we “cool”?”…
– In recent days, some indexes show increasing to interesting in Japan
from other countries.
– However, at the same time the other domestic indexes show Japan
weakening and declining.
• This contradictory phenomena is my recent interest.
– Why and how to evoke?
• There are mainly three perspectives.
① Economical perspective
② The perspective to policies: “Cool Japan”
③ Cultural and sociological perspective
7

8. Research Questions②
• The meaning of “Why are (not)we “cool”?”…
– In recent days, some indexes shows increasing to
interesting in Japan from other countries.
– Some foreign media keep stimulates the interest in Japan.
– However, at the same time the other domestic indexes
shows Japan weakening and declining.
• This contradictory phenomena is my recent interest.
– Why and how to evoke or not?
8

9. • The number of visitors increase consistently.
– It has increased rapidly in this decade.
– From 2003 to 2016, about 5million to 19million.
9
Economical perspective①:
The trend of visitors

10. 10
観光庁「出入国者数の推移」（http://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/siryou/toukei/in_out.html）
Economical perspective②:
The trend of visitors
The number of
inbound
The number of
outbound
About 16million.
About 19million.

11. 11
日本政府観光客「出入国者数の推移」
（https://www.jnto.go.jp/jpn/statistics/marketingd
ata_outbound.pdf）

12. • The growth of economic is stable comparing
other developed countries.
• Yen-dollar rate are unstable.
• This point might means that the economical
reason does not related the popularity of
Japan.
12
Economical perspective③:
Nominal GDP and yen-dollar trend

13. 13
METI 「Nominal GDP」
（http://www.meti.go.jp/report/tsuhaku2011/201
1honbun/html/i1110000.html ）

14. 14
Yahoo!JAPAN （https://stocks.finance.yahoo.co.jp/stocks/chart/?code=USDJPY=X&ct=z&t=ay&q=c&l=off&z=m&p=m65,m130&a= ）より作成
The trend of yen-dollar rate

15. • Cool Japan: the policy encourage and invest to
the software business, the contents business and
the Japanese traditional business, and their
renovation.
• It started from mid-2000s.
• The system is consisted from the partnership
between public and private sector, centering on
the Minister of State for "Cool Japan" Strategy.
15
Policy perspective①:
The”Cool Japan“ policy might be failure

16. • However some scandals revealed in recent
days.
– Ex.) Some companies invested from the Cool
Japan fund do not make any products.
• ”Cool Japan” policy does not work well?
16
Policy perspective②:
The”Cool Japan“ policy might be failure

17. The short history of “Cool Japan”
――METI
17
経済産業省商務情報政策局生活文化創造産業課，2016，「クールジャパン政策について」．より引用

18. The system for “Cool Japan” in the
government
18
内閣府知的財産戦略推進事務局（2017）より引用
Minister of
State for
"Cool Japan"
Strategy

19. The budget for Cool Japan Fund
from METI
19経済産業省商務情報政策局 生活文化創造産業課，2016，「クールジャパン政策について」．より引用
出資
事業会社 等
民間企業 等
コンソーシアム
各企業
出資
出資 投資
リスクマネー
供給機能
［クールジャパン機構］（平成25年11月創設）
クールジャパン機構による出資【平成29年度概算要求額(産業投資)： 350億円（ 継続） 】
○平成２５年６月に株式会社海外需要開拓支援機構法が成立し、平成２５年１１月に海外需要開
拓支援機構（クールジャパン機構）が設立された。
○機構は、リスクマネーを供給することで、民間部門では成し得なかった、海外需要獲得の基盤と
なる拠点や流通網の整備などを率先して展開し、現在１８件の投資案件を行っている。
※存続期間：概ね20年程度
メディア・ネット空間型の流通拠点
放送
配信
日本のＴＶ番組・アニメ等のコンテンツ
アニメ
©BAKUGAN PROJECT
© BAKUGAN PROJECT
商品
販売
化粧品
など
アイドル系
ドキュメンタリー映画
玩具
など
出展：NEW PEOPLE資料
テレビ放映・配信等
＋グッズ等販売
物理的空間型の流通拠点
食
衣
住
日本食レストランアパレルショップ インテリアショップ
コスメ
商業施設展開・活用（ジャパン・モール）
“地域クールジャパン企業”応援
パティシエ・ケーキ店 ブライダルサービス
出資 等
高岡銅器 日本酒民間出資
平成２８年９月時点
出資金
５２３億円
１０７億円
＜投資対象の例＞
政府出資
（財投特会 等）
※既出資の４１６億円
に加えて、平成28年度
は政府予算枠170億円
を確保し、必要に応じて
この範囲で追加出資を
行う。
４１６億円※
50 billion yen
42 billion yen
11 billion yen

20. Research Questions③
If the economical perspective and political perspective cannot
explain the phenomena of “Cool Japan”, Should we approach
from cultural and sociological perspective?
…Returning to the first question of “Why are (not)we “cool”?”,
Changing to say….
• How and why does Japan or “The Japan Feeling”
become to be evaluated by the foreigners, or not?
20

21. Key concept:
“Japan Feeling（日本的質感）”
• Japan Feeling（日本的質感）:
– This concept relate to the some modern Japan-
ness. It is the whole to fascinate the foreigners.
– It is NOT each Anime, Manga, some traditional
customs, foods etc.
– If it really fascinates the foreigners, it might be
valuable to explore this issue.
– There might be “the code” dividing “Cool” and
“Not Cool”.
21

22. The outlook
• Quantitative approach:
– A questionnaire survey for foreigners.
– An interview and text mining for foreigners.
• Qualitative approach:
– Interpretation or the other sociological approach?
22

23. • Thank you for your attention！
23