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Kyoto Looks Into Petition for Promoting Film, Anime, Manga
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
The Kyoto Shimbun paper reported on Wednesday that Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, and the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry are considering a petition to make Kyoto into a "special content zone" to promote local production of films, anime, and manga. As such a zone, the area may receive special economic or other laws that replace nationwide laws to aid the development of local content industries and encourage foreign involvement.
Some of the Kyoto officials' proposed changes would ease restrictions on the use of explosives in outdoor locations such as roads and simplify the process for foreigners involved with film, anime, and manga to recieve visas. The number of young creators in Kyoto is increasing, according to the Kyoto Shimbun, and officials hope to support their efforts.
The Kyoto area is already home to film studios, the Kyoto International Manga Museum, the Japanese headquarters of the Nintendo video game company, and various anime production studios. Kyoto representatives believe that promoting local production of films, anime, and manga could also bolster the area's established tourism, film costume, and other industries.
Officials are drafting the petition for the special, and they plan to hold a conference on the initiative in February before presenting the petition to the Cabinet of Japan in March.
[Via Moe Ota-News Sokuhō]
