Tom Miyauchi: “Japanese content is experiencing unprecedented global momentum”

Earlier this year, Japan's Nippon TV launched Gyokuro Studio, a production studio dedicated to developing content for the global market, and introduced the Nippon TV LA Business Office, a new business hub in Los Angeles. To understand the strategy behind that move, Señal News spoke with Tom Miyauchi, VP and Head of Nippon TV LA Business Office.

What are the motivations and strategies behind the decision to create a new office in the United States?
"Nippon TV LA Business Office was founded with a clear mission: creating global entertainment. Establishing a base in California allows us to deliver on that promise from the epicenter of the entertainment industry. The strategy is straightforward: be closer to key partners, move at the speed of the market, and ensure Japanese creativity is developed and scaled in step with global opportunities. Strategically, the LA office serves as a hub to accelerate the international rollout of Nippon TV and Gyokuro Studio formats in North America and Latin America, spearhead format development to meet market demands, and expand into emerging areas of the entertainment business through collaborations."

How will the LA office work alongside the rest of the business areas of Nippon TV?
"Nippon TV LA Business Office connects Nippon TV's global strategy with the global market through creativity. Positioned between the global strategy headquarters and Gyokuro Studio in Tokyo, it ensures that international ambitions are channeled directly into the development of new content, and that the originality of Japanese ideas is brought to market in step with global demand. In doing so, the office acts as both a pipeline and a catalyst, turning strategy and creativity into entertainment with global appeal. We all work closely as one team to gear up and go global."

Why will the LA office focus on unscripted content? What business potential do you observe for this genre?
"Unscripted content has universal appeal and is one of Nippon TV's strongest areas of expertise, with formats like 'Dragons' Den/Shark Tank,' 'Silent Library' and 'Old Enough!' demonstrating a proven track record of international success. In today's fragmented media landscape, unscripted shows offer scalability, adaptability, and immediate engagement across territories. Nippon TV LA focuses on this genre because the U.S. remains the biggest market for unscripted formats, and success here generates global momentum for Japanese formats worldwide."

Gyokuro Studio aims to develop 10 unscripted titles each year. What types of shows are you looking for?
"We aim to develop unscripted titles that combine originality with international adaptability, reflecting Nippon TV's long track record of successful global formats. That includes studio-based game shows, competition series, bold social experiments, touching lifestyle and relationship shows, and family-friendly entertainment. Each title must carry a distinct Japanese creative spark while being built to travel globally, embodying our mission of creating global entertainment and ensuring Japanese ideas reach the broadest possible audience."

How would you describe the current positioning of Japanese content in the international industry?
"Japanese content is experiencing unprecedented global momentum. From the mainstreaming of anime to the enduring popularity of unscripted and scripted content, there is a strong appetite for Japanese originality and creativity. The industry now recognizes Japan as a source of innovative storytelling, and this momentum aligns perfectly with our mission: to harness Japan's creativity and amplify it on the global stage."

How do you evaluate the new global demand for unscripted content? What does this genre bring to platforms and channels?
"Growing demand for unscripted content globally is driven by its scalability, adaptability, and broad cultural appeal. The genre creates shared viewing experiences, sparking conversation and engagement across audiences worldwide. Importantly, unscripted celebrates ideas and creativity, giving original concepts room to shine and resonate with viewers. Platforms and broadcasters value it not only for its flexibility, which enables it to perform in primetime, on streaming services, across verticals, and in short-form formats, as well as its strong potential to generate brand marketing opportunities and drive ad revenue, while consistently delivering content that connects audiences and builds community on a global scale."

Nippon TV and Blue Ant Studios signed a strategic partnership to expand development and production of Gyokuro Studios' unscripted formats in the North American market. How important is this first deal for the studio's growth?
"This partnership is a pivotal milestone. Blue Ant brings deep production expertise, market insights, and deep connectivity in North America, complementing Nippon TV's long-standing history of creating internationally successful formats. As for the newly established Gyokuro Studio, it lays the foundation for a sustainable pipeline of distribution and execution of original format IP, allowing Japanese ideas to flourish in one of the world's most competitive entertainment markets."