Markets

TIFFCOM 2026 will open on Wednesday, October 28, alongside the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, with a programme of sessions exploring artificial intelligence, international co-production, anime, Japanese intellectual property and the global expansion of Japanese television and Asian content. The market’s keynote and special sessions will bring together industry executives, producers and creative leaders to discuss emerging technologies, international business opportunities and strategies for bringing Japanese content to audiences worldwide.

The keynote session, Technology and Storytelling, will take place on Thursday, October 29 at Port Hall. Organized by the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (MPPAJ) and UNIJAPAN, it will feature AGBO executives Chris Brearton, partner, and Dominic Hughes, chief scientific officer. Founded by the Russo Brothers, directors of the latest Avengers films, AGBO focuses on developing next-generation storytelling. The session will examine how emerging technologies can support creative work, expand storytelling possibilities and shape the future of film, television, gaming and interactive entertainment.

Japanese intellectual property will be another key focus of the programme. The special session Unlocking the Global Potential of Japanese IP, organized by the MPA and UNIJAPAN, is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28 at Port Hall. The discussion will bring together Shinzo Matsuhashi, CEO of CREDEUS and producer of the live-action adaptations of Kingdom, Kokuhō and Blue Lock; Buddy Marini, head of Amazon MGM Studios Japan; and Steven Maeda, screenwriter, showrunner and executive producer of Netflix’s ONE PIECE. The speakers will explore how Japanese IP can expand beyond its domestic market into Hollywood and other international territories.

Animation’s international business will be addressed on Friday, October 30 at Port Hall, in a session titled Japanese Animation’s Global Expansion: 2025 Overseas Sales Update and Strategies from Two Studios. Organized by the Association of Japanese Animations, the session will present the latest domestic and overseas market data and examine international strategies at NIPPON ANIMATION and Production I.G. The session will open with remarks from Kazuko Ishikawa, president of the Association of Japanese Animations and NIPPON ANIMATION. Megumi Onouchi, president of HumanMedia and vice chairman of the association’s Human Resources Development Committee, will moderate the discussion. Speakers will include Masahiro Hasegawa, editor-in-chief of the Anime Industry Report and a member of the School of Network and Information at Senshu University; Hitomi Hiratsuka, director of international sales and productions at NIPPON ANIMATION; and Yoko Ueda, director of corporate administration and IP and communications at Production I.G.

The programme will also examine new business opportunities for Japanese IP beyond traditional broadcasting. The special session Japan’s IP Frontier 2026: Beyond Broadcasting, organized by the Broadcast Program Export Association of Japan (BEAJ), will take place on Thursday, October 29 in Conference A. The session will showcase six companies exploring new ways to bring Japanese IP to international audiences. Participants will include Tokio Omori, production division producer at TV TOKYO; Seitaro Tonka, CCO at YAMI; Ryohei Aoki, live entertainment department manager at Fuji Television; Yu Kawanaka, executive manager of the content production department at San-in Chuo Television Broadcasting; Atsuhito Kusume, TV director at Nankai Broadcasting; Kazuki Yokoi, content sales producer at CHUKYO TV; and Yuki Akutsu, director of the digital business department and editor-in-chief at Hokkaido Television Broadcasting. Ikuo Ichiki, chief executive of business management at BEAJ, will serve as MC.