Netflix reached a milestone of over 10 million subscribers in Japan during the first half of this year. That’s a success! Netflix is gaining attention in the Land of the Rising Sun with…. Japanese-language programming.
You see, Japanese series are drawing significant attention in the expanding market. Over the past four years, the company’s subscriber base has doubled, and the streaming giant has recently released several popular Japanese-language shows that distinguish it from local broadcasters.
Kaata Sakamoto, vice president of content for Japan, expressed satisfaction with the success of shows like “Tokyo Swindlers”, “The Queen of Villains”, and the reality-romance series “The Boyfriend”, which have garnered considerable viewership. Since Netflix began reporting viewing rankings in 2021, only two English-language series, the live-action adaptation of hit “One Piece” and the fourth season of “Stranger Things”, have topped these rankings in Japan.
Sakamoto also noted that Japan has a strong demand for local content, which is why Netflix continues to prioritize producing such programming. In September, Netflix announced a five-year contract with Hitoshi One, the director of “Tokyo Swindlers”, a drama about a group of real estate scammers.
The growth of streaming has led to increased consumption of Japanese content, with major entertainment companies turning their attention to their hits. For example, Amazon has adapted Sega Sammy’s “Yakuza” game series, and reports indicate that Sony is in talks to acquire media company Kadokawa to strengthen its entertainment portfolio.
Netflix has stated that Japanese content is its third-most-viewed non-English content, following Korean and Spanish programming. Additionally, its anime offerings were watched more than 1 billion times worldwide last year.
