Unlocking Japan’s Format Creativity Treasure Box

As part of its year-round efforts to support the Japanese content creation ecosystem globally, the Broadcast Program Export Association of Japan (BEAJ) is returning to MIPCOM to host its popular Treasure Box Japan (TBJ) format showcase.

“TBJ has become one of the most important gateways for Japanese content to reach the global stage at the international marketplace,” says Makito (Mak) Sugiyama, BEAJ’s Executive Director. “Launched as a dedicated showcase of unscripted formats in 2012, its positioning on the opening day of MIPCOM is no coincidence. Each year, more than 10,000 participants from over 60 countries gather in Cannes, and buyers are especially alert to fresh opportunities during the first sessions. By presenting world-premiere titles at this critical moment, TBJ ensures that Japanese formats are not only seen but also prioritized in subsequent business discussions and negotiations.”

Indeed, the event has expanded over the years in both the scale of Japanese participation and attendance. This year, ten Japanese companies will be showcasing their highlights—Nippon TV, TV Asahi, TBS, TV Tokyo, Fuji TV Network, NHK Enterprises, Yomiuri TV, ABC TV, MBS and Kansai TV—“bringing together an unprecedented lineup of creativity,” Sugiyama says. “It is also backed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, underscoring its role as part of Japan’s national strategy to promote cultural exports.”

Sugiyama adds, “Equally important is the participation of respected international commentators such as Fremantle’s Vasha Wallace and Small World IFT’s Tim Crescenti, whose feedback provides a global perspective and helps contextualize Japanese content for overseas buyers.”

TBJ is promising a diverse and eclectic mix this year, “underlining the creative breadth of Japanese broadcasters,” Sugiyama says. He stresses the curation process behind TBJ. “Buyers know that the titles chosen for TBJ are carefully selected for their international adaptability. Past TBJ editions have already showcased ideas that sparked co-productions and localized adaptations.”

And content discovery doesn’t end in Cannes, with the TBJ selections going into BEAJ’s extensive online Japan Program Catalog (JPC), the largest one-stop portal for Japanese broadcast content. “With more than 900 overseas buyers registered, the JPC ensures that Japanese titles are discoverable year-round and provides direct access to rights holders,” Sugiyama explains.

“This dual approach—live presentation at MIPCOM and online continuity through JPC—ensures that the excitement generated in Cannes translates into concrete opportunities,” Sugiyama says. “The 2025 lineup, with its bold mix of genres and strong international potential, embodies exactly what makes Japanese content stand out: creativity that is surprising, versatile and export-ready.”

The selection this year includes NHK Enterprises’ Just Circle It!, a visually engaging quiz; Nippon TV’s physical competition Mega Catch; Yomiuri TV’s multigenerational game show Six Genz Game; the TV Asahi dating reality show Love Time Travel; ABC TV’s comedy travel format Wait, What?; the TBS survival money game Infinite Loop; the genre-blending horror-meets-variety Reform Horror House from MBS; TV Tokyo’s SUMO KING; I Doubt it!, a psychological game show from Fuji Television; and the improv comedy The Laughing Throne from Kansai TV.

Read more in BEAJ’s Showcase here.