How Japan made the modern world?

The industry panel “Pure Invention: How Japan Makes the Modern World” explores the global influence of Japanese popular culture as both a creative force and a market-shaping phenomenon. Drawing on insights from Matt Alt’s influential work, the session examines how Japan’s cultural industries, from anime and manga to gaming and character merchandizing, have redefined consumption, taste, and aesthetics globally.

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Rather than treating Japanese popular culture as mere entertainment, this panel positions it as a generative system of innovation that has profoundly shaped global consumer culture. From the rise of “kawaii” as a transnational aesthetic to the platformization of fan communities, Japanese cultural production has not only traveled globally but has also reconfigured how consumers engage with media, brands, and self-expression.

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Joining the discussion is Takeshi Matsui, whose expertise brings a critical academic lens to the institutional and economic dynamics underpinning Japan’s cultural exports. Together, the panel will bridge industry insight and academic expertise to unpack how Japan’s “pure invention” continues to influence creative economies, cultural flows, and the future of global markets.​