Japan Expands Film Incentive Program to Attract International Productions

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is expanding its film and television incentive program through fiscal year 2026. This initiative includes the introduction of multi-year subsidies for international productions, allowing projects to receive support for up to two years.

Previously, only expenses reported by the end of January following the grant decision qualified for reimbursement, which limited project timelines. The revamped program will enable expenses to span multiple fiscal years and accommodate projects crossing the Japanese fiscal year boundary.

The updated incentive scheme is scheduled to launch in late spring 2026, with application guidelines to be announced later. Since its inception in 2023, the program has supported 18 film and television projects, including notable productions like The Smashing Machine, featuring Dwayne Johnson, and Rental Family, starring Brendan Fraser.

The program is a METI initiative, operated by the Visual Industry Promotion Organization and coordinated by the Japan Film Commission.