CJPF AWARD 2025 Application Guidelines
News
- 2024.8.6 Applications for CJPF AWARD 2025 has started.
Outline
Submissions and awards for videos that communicate the appeals of Japan and projects that enhance experiential value.
Overview of the awards
The end of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to drastic changes in the environment surrounding Cool Japan initiatives. Last year, the number of foreign visitors to Japan recovered to surpass the 25 million mark. In terms of content, with anime and manga leading the way, live-action videos, music, and TV dramas from Japan also found global popularity. Elsewhere, Japanese food, fashion, beauty, and various other categories have garnered global attention, and the economy is growing as a result.
In June of this year, we formulated the New Cool Japan Strategy (*1), outlining our intention to drive further overseas expansion of Cool Japan-related industries and to increase the number of Japan fans. To achieve these goals, in addition to increasing the quantity and scale of our initiatives, we will also focus on improving quality through high-value-added initiatives that provide high levels of experiential value.
The Cool Japan Public-Private Partnership Platform (CJPF) (*2) is hosting the CJPF Awards 2025 to promote the Cool Japan Strategy and communicate and expand the appeal of Japan to foreign countries and expandJapan fans.
*1 Building on the basic concepts and approaches of the initial Cool Japan Strategy, we have formulated the New Cool Japan Strategy based on an effective action plan that caters to the changing environment surrounding Cool Japan initiatives, while also including strategies related to the core content industry.
https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/singi/titeki2/240604/gijisidai.html
https://www.cao.go.jp/cool_japan/aratana/aratana.html
*2 In December 2015, the Cabinet Office’s Intellectual Property Strategy Promotion Secretariat established the Cool Japan Public-Private Partnership Platform to enhance Cool Japan initiatives and create the relevant systems through joint public-private efforts.
https://cjpf.jp/
Submissions
Applicants for the CJPF Awards 2025 can enter two different categories—the Video category and/or the Project category. Submissions can cover a wide range of categories from content (gaming, anime, manga/publications, live-action, music/live concerts, entertainment, etc.) to food/food cultures; tourism; cosmetics, fashion, and other manufacturing industries; distribution/services; traditional industries/culture; regional industries/cultures; advanced industries/technologies/cultures, and more. Judges will select the best submissions in each category and award them with the Grand Prize and other awards. For the Video category, awards will be given to videos that promote the appeals of Japan and encourage understanding of its appeals among people overseas, while for the Project category, awards will be given to projects that enhance the appeals of Japan through experiential value for both inbound tourists and people overseas. Particular recognition will be given to proposals that generate synergy through collaborative cross-category and cross-regional initiatives, initiatives that create a positive cycle beginning with overseas communication and ending in inbound tourism, and initiatives that contribute to repeat visitors to Japan.
Video Category
CJPF AWARD Video category
Eligibility
Videos that communicate the appeals of Japan overseas and encourage understanding of its appeals.
(*1 Content and food/food culture; tourism; cosmetics, fashion, and other manufacturing industries; distribution/services; traditional industries/cultures; regional industries/cultures; advanced industries/technologies/cultures, and more)
Application conditions
- The video must communicate the appeals of Japan through visuals.
- There are no requirements regarding the methods of communication, such as language used, use of subtitles/sound, etc., but the video must be intended for foreign audiences (foreign viewers).
- It must be a video that was first published or released no earlier than 2021.
- The video should be around five minutes long.
- Submissions that received awards in past editions of the CJPF Awards or Cool Japan Video Contest will not be accepted.
- The submission must be from the creator or rights holder of the video. - Prior to submission, applicants are responsible for obtaining the consent of the relevant creator, etc.
*For series consisting of multiple videos, each video should be submitted separately.
*Videos that are scheduled for release after the submission deadline (Saturday, September 30) may also be submitted as long as the data is the final version.
*Videos that are no longer available to the public may also be submitted.
Applicant requirements
- The creator or rights holder of the video.
- Applicants will be accepted irrespective of their affiliation with companies, government agencies, local public bodies, organizations, schools, individuals, and so on.
- Multiple submissions are allowed by the same applicant.
- Videos about business initiatives submitted to the Project category may also be submitted to the Video category.
Selection
Selections will be made by a judging panel consisting of CJPF advisory support members and other experts, as well as foreign members who have a deep understanding of Japan’s appeals. Decisions will be made based on the movie’s theme and how it communicates the appeals of Japan; the appropriateness of methods used for communication to the target countries, regions, linguistic areas, and individuals; the creativity of the expressions and production styles that communicate the theme; the creativity of ways to inspire viewers into action; the potential for future developments in a sustainable manner; and more. Additional points will be awarded to movies that generate synergy through collaborative cross-category and cross-regional initiatives. Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Award will be judged by members associated with Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.
The Awards
We plan to award outstanding videos with the Grand Prize, runner-up Grand Prize, and more.
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Award: given to videos that has an affinity with Expo 2025’stheme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” or its concept “People’s Living Lab”.
※Please note that the winner of the Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan Award will not be eligible to receive the grand prize or any of the other awards.
※Awards announcement and presentation: planned in February or March 2025 (TBD).
※The awards are subject to change according to the status of submissions and judgement results.
※The awards are contingent on the recipient’s cooperation with public relations activities of the CJPF and the Secretariat of the Headquarters for the World Expo 2025, Cabinet Secretariat.
Past award-winning videos
You can watch the videos that have won awards in the CJPF AWARD video category so far.
Submission Period
August 6–September 30, 2024
Submission Method
Please apply via the application form on the CJPF Awards 2025 website.
Submissions to the Video category <https://www.cjma.go.jp/cjpfa2025/movie/>
Project Category
Eligibility
Projects (sales, services, public relations, etc.) that enhance the appeals of Japan through experiential value for both inbound tourists and people overseas.
(*1 Content and food/food culture; tourism; cosmetics, fashion, and other manufacturing industries; distribution/services; traditional industries/cultures; regional industries/cultures; advanced industries/technologies/cultures, and more
Application conditions
- The project must communicate the appeals of Japan (*1).
- The project must be intended for foreign individuals (or there must be plans for it to be for foreign individuals), be it through overseas expansion, inbound tourism, or communication of information to people overseas. *Projects that already exist in Japan and that are preparing to target inbound tourists or carry out overseas expansion are also eligible.
- The project must have been launched no earlier than April 2021. *Projects that launched prior to April 2021 but continue to run to this day are eligible to apply.
- Both commercial projects involving sales, and non-profit projects such as government publicity projects etc. are eligible to apply.
- Projects that received awards in past editions of the CJPF Awards or Cool Japan Matching Award will not be accepted. However, the same applicant may submit a separate project.
- While collaboration across different categories, regions, public and private sectors, generations etc. is not a requirement, we encourage the submission of projects that have benefited from such collaborations. If such a collaboration occurred in your project, please include the name of the partner and the ways in which the collaboration was effective.
Applicant requirements
- The project lead or member involved in the project.
- Applicants will be accepted irrespective of their affiliation with companies, government agencies, local public bodies, organizations, schools, individuals, and so on.
- Multiple submissions are allowed by the same applicant.
- Business initiatives related to submissions in the Video category may also be submitted to the Project category.
Selection
Selections will be made by a judging panel consisting of CJPF advisory support members and other experts, as well as foreign members who have a deep understanding of Japan’s appeals. Decisions will be made based on the methods for and effectiveness of enhancing the experiential value of Japan’s appeals; the selection of overseas and inbound targets and the appropriateness of the methods; the project’s track record (or expected success) in increasing the number of experiences and fan base; the positive effects from cross-category and cross-regional collaboration; the project’s potential for continuity and development; and more. Additional points will be given to projects that have been creative and effective in converting overseas experiences into visitors and repeat visitors to Japan, and projects that have been (or are expected to be) creative and effective in converting experiences in Japan to consumption and revisits to Japan after visitors return home. Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Award will be judged by members associated with Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.
The Awards
We plan to award outstanding projects with the Grand Prize, runner-up Grand Prize, and more.
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Award: given to videos that has an affinity with Expo 2025’stheme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” or its concept “People’s Living Lab”.
※Please note that the winner of the Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan Award will not be eligible to receive the grand prize or any of the other awards.
※Awards announcement and presentation: planned in February or March 2025 (TBD).
※The awards are subject to change according to the status of submissions and judgement results.
※The awards are contingent on the recipient’s cooperation with public relations activities of the CJPF and the Secretariat of the Headquarters for the World Expo 2025, Cabinet Secretariat.
Past award-winning project
You can see the projects that have won awards in the CJPF AWARD project category so far.
Submission Period
August 6–September 30, 2024
Submission Method
Please apply via the application form on the CJPF Awards 2025 website.
Submissions to the Project category <https://www.cjma.go.jp/cjpfa2025/project/>
Inquiry
Inquiries Regarding the CJPF Awards
CJPF AWARD 2024 Administration Office
Contact Person: Sugihara, Hirayama, Onouchi, Hasegawa, Ashikawa
Tel: 03-5544-9713; Fax: 03-5544-9714; Email: cjpfaward@cjma.go.jp
Organizer and Supporters
Organizer
Cool Japan Public-Private Partnership Platform (Secretariat: Intellectual Property Strategy Promotion Secretariat, the Cabinet Office)
The Cool Japan Public-Private Partnership Platform was established in December 2015 to facilitate collaboration across the public and private sectors and different industries, and to promote Cool Japan strategies. Currently, various government ministries, agencies, and institutions, as well as private organizations, companies, institutions, and individuals are involved in CJPF activities. The platform is facilitating the sharing of different information and driving the formation of different business projects.
後 援
クールジャパン機構／日本貿易振興機構(JETRO)／日本商工会議所／東京商工会議所／映像産業振興機構(VIPO)/日本旅行業協会（JATA）