Licensing Japan 15th Edition: Possibly Its Most Successful Yet
Roger Berman, President, ZenWorks, reports from Tokyo for Total Licensing
The 15th edition of Licensing Japan, Japan’s largest character and brand licensing exhibition, was held at Tokyo Big Sight from July 3-5, 2024.
As a key part of the larger Contents Tokyo event organized by RX Japan, it left a strong impression with its high attendance and positive reception.
Key Highlights:
• Korean Content: Korean intellectual properties (IPs) dominated the event, featuring popular characters like Pinkfong, Muzik Tiger, Zanmang Loopy, and Bellygom, reflecting Japanese consumers’ preferences.
• Taiwanese Influence: Taiwan made a significant impact with two large pavilions showcasing the creativity of many artists.
• New Entrants: Major Japanese retailers such as Beams and Adastria are entering the licensing space.
• Western IPs: Notable Western IPs such as Picasso, Smiley World, The Met, Tokidoki, and The Little Prince were prominently featured.
• Japan Character Award: The annual Japan Character Award Grand Prize was awarded to Chiikawa, a well-deserved recognition of Japanese IP.
Licensing Japan is unique in being the only licensing trade show in the world held twice yearly. The winter edition, slightly smaller in scale, will take place at Makuhari Messe from November 20-22. The main summer event for 2025 is scheduled for Tokyo Big Sight from July 2-4. Website: https://www.content-tokyo.jp/hub/en-gb/about/lj.html
Although Licensing Japan is primarily focused on the Japanese market, international participants can find value in attending or exhibiting to gain access to this market in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
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