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Netflix Hosts Creators' Spotlight for 10th Anniversary in Japan: Honoring Creative Partnerships and Looking Ahead
Entertainment
05 September 2025
GlobalJapan
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As part of Netflix's 10th-anniversary festivities in Japan, Creators' Spotlight - To the Next Episode: The Unchanging Core of Storytelling was held on September 4 at TOHO Studios. The event honored the many directors, producers, actors, and creative partners who have helped shape a decade of diverse storytelling on Netflix. With the theme A Decade with Netflix and the Challenges Ahead, the gathering brought together directors, producers, actors, and other talented creators to share behind-the-scenes stories from past projects and discuss their visions for the future. Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters opened the event by reflecting on the company's early days in Japan and its journey both locally and globally over the past 10 years. He also expressed his expectations for the Japanese team's continued growth. Kaata Sakamoto, Vice President of Content (Japan), followed with remarks on the power of Japanese creativity, the thrill of taking risks, and the importance of producing one-of-a-kind stories with creators underpinned by freedom of thought and determination. He reaffirmed Netflix's commitment to bringing beloved Japanese titles to audiences around the world.
Sakamoto concluded by referencing Netflix's first-ever live streaming in Japan-the World Baseball Classic 2026, highlighting that Netflix will continue to expand its challenges into new territories.
Greg Peters, Co-CEO, shared the following remarks on Netflix's journey so far and its future outlook.
When we launched Netflix in Asia for the first time in 2015, we chose Japan as our starting point and opened our office here. Ten years later, Netflix has grown to reach more than 10 million households in Japan, becoming affectionately known as Netofuri.' Japanese titles have been viewed for a cumulative 25 billion hours, making them the second most-watched non-English content globally. More than 120 Japanese titles have entered the global non-English Top 10 rankings, and in country-specific Top 10 lists, Japanese titles have ranked across 93 countries, from Asia to Latin America. Domestically, productions have taken place across 37 prefectures and over 200 filming locations. From 2021 to 2024 alone, Netflix's investment in Japan generated an economic impact (Gross Value Added) of more than 450 billion. These numbers demonstrate that Japan is an indispensable market for Netflix. For the next 10 years, we will continue to deliver Japanese culture and creativity to the world, creating entertainment experiences that exceed imagination.
Kaata Sakamoto, Vice President of Content, shared the following remarks on the past 10 years in Japan and the challenges ahead.
These past 10 years of countless challenges have only been possible thanks to our creators, partners, and fans. We believe that even when a subject is difficult, by trusting a strong creative vision, we can deliver authentic stories. This is what we call Creative First.' At the same time, we are committed to Local First'-working closely with Japanese creators to tell stories that resonate with local audiences, stories that eventually spread to the world. Now, as our next challenge, we are stepping into live streaming. Japan will be the second country after the United States to launch this, beginning with the World Baseball Classic, allowing us to share the thrill of the game in real time and bring audiences an unprecedented experience.
Next, leading Japanese creators took the stage for panel discussions, divided into live-action and anime sessions.
The live-action panel featured film director Hitoshi One, who sparked a social phenomenon in Japan with Tokyo Swindlers; film director and screenwriter Shinsuke Sato, who propelled Japanese creativity to the global stage with Alice in Borderland; film director and screenwriter Michihito Fujii, who redefined the period drama genre with Last Samurai Standing; and actor/creator Takayuki Yamada, who boldly tackled challenging themes in The Naked Director. The discussion was moderated by Shinichi Takahashi, Netflix Director of Live-Action, with each creator sharing their perspectives on past challenges and future expectations for Netflix titles.
Highlight Comments from Live-Action Creators
Hitoshi One: When I brought the proposal for Tokyo Swindlers, Netflix quickly determined it was a good fit and approved it at unprecedented speed. Since each country holds decision-making authority, with creative and promotional freedom left to local teams, I've felt Netflix is an open and dynamic company. I'm now under an exclusive contract with Netflix, and several new projects have already been confirmed. My next work is about men confronting formidable enemies in extreme natural environments. While Tokyo Swindlers used VFX, for this new title, Netflix suggested incorporating even more advanced VFX technologies, which we are currently working on. This refreshing and liberating environment is quintessentially Netflix, and I aim to create even more stimulating content. I also greatly appreciate Netflix's commitment to safe filming conditions and excellent staff care, and I hope they continue to enhance this.
Shinsuke Sato: Alice in Borderland became one of the most-watched Japanese titles worldwide. Yet, when we first started planning, many people didn't even know what Netflix was-it was truly uncharted territory. Still, the series reached No. 4 in the global Top 10, proving that opportunities for Japanese works on the world stage are expanding. The entire creative process with Netflix-building the show through repeated conversations-was fascinating. Currently, I'm working
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