Join the Japan Program of the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) at Stanford University for a full-day, in-person conference on May 29, 2025, celebrating the global power and creative evolution of Japanese content — anime, manga, video games, music, VTubers, and more.

Bringing together influential creators, producers, technologists, and scholars from Japan and the United States, this unique event examines the creative ecosystems that fuel Japan’s content industries, the future of global fandom, and the strategic pathways for collaboration between Japan and the U.S. in media, technology, and education. Focusing on creative processes in the morning and media innovations in the afternoon, the conference explores how Japanese content industries continue to shape cultural imagination and drive innovation across sectors and borders, led by visionary creators and behind-the-scenes innovators who are redefining storytelling, interactivity, and global reach in the digital age.

Held at Stanford — where innovation meets scholarship — the event reflects APARC Japan Program’s mission to foster U.S.-Japan dialogue and academic insight into real-world cultural and technological transformations. Whether you are a fan, a founder, or a future creator, join us to uncover what’s next at the intersection of Japanese content and global innovation.

This event is co-organized with Orange Inc. and Yasushi Maruyama.

Please note that submitting this form does NOT guarantee seating. We will send you a follow-up email confirming your seat for this event around a week before May 29.

Note: This event will be photographed and videotaped, and by entering this venue, you consent to Stanford University and approved media using your image and likeness. Any photography and videography may not be available for future viewing at a later date.

Media Advisory and Press Contact

Journalists interested in covering the conference should contact Shorenstein APARC’s Communications Manager, Michael Breger, at mbreger@stanford.edu by May 16 at 9 a.m. PT to register and receive accreditation. At the venue, they will be required to present a press credential from an established news organization. Freelance reporters should email a letter from the news organization for which they work to Michael Breger by the May 16 deadline. The press area is limited, and press seating is not guaranteed.

Parking Information

Click here for instructions on purchasing visitor parking. The closest visitor parking to Encina Hall can be found at the following:

• Track House Lot (ParkMobile Parking Zone 7295)
• Memorial Lot (ParkMobile Parking Zone 7213)
• Littlefield Lot (ParkMobile Parking Zone 7282)
• Knight Management Center Garage (ParkMobile Parking Zone 7207)
   

For general inquiries, contact aparc-communications@stanford.edu.

Agenda

8:15-9 a.m.
Check-in

9-9:05 a.m.
Welcome remarks
Kiyoteru Tsutsui
Director, Shorenstein APARC Japan Program, Stanford University
 

Panel 1- The Creators: Inside Japan’s Content Powerhouse

9-10 a.m. 
Presentation by Junichi Masuda
Chief Creative Fellow and Corporate Officer, The Pokémon Company　

10-11 a.m. 
Presentation by Hiroyuki Nakano
Senior Manager, SHUEISHA Third Editorial Department and Editor-in-Chief, WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP (ONE PIECE Media）

11-11:15 a.m. 
Coffee break

11:15 a.m.-12:05 p.m. 
Presentation by Tai Yasue
Director/Game Designer, Creative Studio 1, SQUARE ENIX

12:05-12:50 p.m. 
Panel discussion with Junichi Masuda, Hiroyuki Nakano, Tai Yasue, and Susan Napier, Goldthwaite Professor of Rhetoric and Japanese, Tufts University
Moderator: Yasushi Maruyama, Visiting Scholar, Shorenstein APARC, Stanford University 

12:50-2 p.m. 
Lunch break
 

Panel 2- The Innovators: The Global Reach of Japanese Content

2-3 p.m. 
Presentation by Hide Nagata
Director of the Board, Chief Financial Officer, & Chief Strategy Officer, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

3-3:50 p.m. 
Presentation by Shoko Ugaki
CEO, Orange Inc.

3:50-4:05 p.m. 
Coffee break

4:05-4:55 p.m. 
Presentation by Motoaki Tanigo
President & CEO, COVER Corporation 

4:55-5:40 p.m. 
Panel discussion with Hide Nagata, Shoko Ugaki, Motoaki Tanigo, and Mizuko Ito, Director, Connected Learning Lab, University of California, Irvine, and Co-Founder, Connected Camps
Moderator: Kiyoteru Tsutsui, Director, Shorenstein APARC Japan Program, Stanford University

5:40-5:45 p.m.
Closing remarks
Kiyoteru Tsutsui
Director, Shorenstein APARC Japan Program, Stanford University