Japanese IP is looking beyond home turf. Tiffcom 2026 opened in Tokyo on 28 October, bringing content creators, distributors and industry professionals together to explore international partnerships and take stories to new markets.
Running until 30 October alongside the Tokyo International Film Festival, the three-day content market is being held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho-Kan, a modern exhibition, trade fair, and convention facility.
The opening day featured a session titled Unlocking the Global Potential of Japanese IP, organised by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and UniJapan, Japan association for the international promotion of the moving image. Speakers Shinzo Matsuhashi, Buddy Marini and Steven Maeda discussed opportunities for Japanese content to reach audiences overseas, with entertainment sociologist Atsuo Nakayama moderating.
The programme also featured Genre Goes Global: Inside Co-Production Markets, organised by UniJapan, alongside showcases by Linmon Media International, a major Chinese drama production and media company and Taiwan’s television industry, global OTT streaming and international co-productions. Nippon TV presented its approach to building a global content business.
Pitching sessions at the Tokyo IP Market (TIPM) and Tokyo Gap-Financing Market (TGFM), supported by Imagica Group, a Japanese visual communications and media entertainment conglomerate, gave project teams and rights holders a platform to connect with potential partners and explore financing opportunities.
The market continues on 29 October with a keynote featuring Agbo, an independent film and television production studio or a traditional Nigerian herbal remedy, business leader Chris Brearton and chief scientific officer Dominic Hughes. The session will examine how emerging technologies are shaping storytelling across film, television, gaming and interactive entertainment.
