Tokyo Market Chief Shiina Yasushi Charts Path to Co-Production Hub as TIFFCOM Hits Record Growth

TIFFCOM, Tokyo International Film Festival‘s market arm, is riding a wave of international momentum, with CEO Shiina Yasushi pointing to strong year-on-year growth as evidence the market is successfully transforming from a purely sales-driven event into a co-production and financing hub.

“TIFFCOM 2025 will host a total of 322 exhibiting companies, up from 283 last year, with booths nearly sold out by early July,” Shiina says. The market brings together film, television, animation and IP business under one roof, with Japanese content at the center. “It is increasingly recognized as a comprehensive market that brings together film, television, animation, and IP business. The diversity of Japanese content and Tokyo’s rich cultural and creative energy are major strengths.”

The executive emphasizes that TIFFCOM will continue strengthening ties with the Tokyo International Film Festival while expanding collaboration across Asia and enhancing both its project market and IP market to establish its position as an international hub in the region.

The shift in TIFFCOM’s identity represents a significant evolution for the market. “Now in its sixth edition, the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market (TGFM) is showing strong results, with past participating projects selected in major festivals such as Cannes, Venice and Berlin,” Shiina notes.

The quality of submissions continues to rise, and this year’s Tokyo IFF lineup also includes three firms that previously participated in TGFM. However, challenges remain. “One of the key challenges is increasing participation from Japanese producers, and this year we will hold lecture sessions to support those interested in international co-production with practical insights into co-production and financing.”

The rebranding of the Tokyo Story Market into the Tokyo IP Market marks another strategic shift. “The rebranding reflects the growing global demand for Japanese IP,” Shiina explains. “In addition to major publishers, production companies such as Toei have joined to introduce remake rights.”

The Tokyo IP Market aims to connect Japanese rights holders – offering diverse stories from books and audiovisual works – to international producers, furthering TIFFCOM’s role as a central hub within the IP ecosystem.

ASEAN partnerships represent a stated priority this year. “East Asian regions such as China, Korea, and Taiwan have long collaborated with Japan on production and continue to feature large pavilions at TIFFCOM,” Shiina says. “While strengthening partnerships with the rapidly growing ASEAN countries, we aim to position Tokyo as the central hub in the expanding Asian content ecosystem.”