Anime Become Japan's Soft Power Media In Spreading Its Cultural Diplomacy

In this era of globalization, the strength of each country is not only found in military and economic strength but can be found in the culture of the country itself, such as Japan. 

Japan is a country that has diplomatic influence by way of Soft Power which can influence other countries. 

One form of soft Japanese diplomacy is the formation through culture, namely anime. Popular Japanese animation known as "anime" is known for its colorful characters and diverse settings in stories that are meant to appeal to a wide audience (Aghia, 2012). 

Anime is one of the animated cinema genres that is beloved by kids, teenagers, and even adults. 

It is influenced by the manga art style and traditional Japanese comics. Currently, anime is widely popular and well-developed throughout the world, including Indonesian. 

Since anime is a form of animation, there are many different styles and varieties of anime. There are also many anime genres ranging from action, fantasy, slice of life, comedy, mecha, romance, sports, horror, and others. 

Anime also contains several elements in films or other animated works, ranging from plots, storylines, concepts, characters, cinematography, and others. 

Some examples of Anine's world-famous works are One Piece, Naruto, Tokyo Revengers, Pokemon, Death Note, Dragon Ball, Tokyo Ghoul, and others. sports, horror, and others. 

Anime also contains several elements in films or other animated works, ranging from plots, storylines, concepts, characters, cinematography, and others. 

Some examples of Anine's world-famous works are One Piece, Naruto, Tokyo Revengers, Pokemon, Death Note, Dragon Ball, Tokyo Ghoul, and others. sports, horror, and others. 

Anime also contains several elements in films or other animated works, ranging from plots, storylines, concepts, characters, cinematography, and others. Some examples of Anine's world-famous works are One Piece, Naruto, Tokyo Revengers, Pokemon, Death Note, Dragon Ball, Tokyo Ghoul, and others.

Definition of Soft Power

Soft power is the capacity to attract what you desire without using force or money. It results from the nation's obsession with culture, political principles, and regulations.

 Our soft power is increased when other people regard our policies as being justified. Propaganda is a part of soft power, but it is much more. 

It is much more than just "appearance, PR, and temporary popularity.

" The capacity to achieve goals is a very real power, said Joseph Nye in his book entitled The paradox of Power America. 

Soft power can influence slowly and indirectly without realizing it, therefore diplomacy is one of the right ways to do it. soft power to other countries. Without resorting to violence or war,

Cultural Diplomacy Reminder

A cultural diplomacy is a form of soft-power diplomacy and part of public diplomacy carried out by a country in promoting and protecting national interests. 

There are a number of aspects that are part of cultural diplomacy activities including art, language, and information. 

In achieving the goal of introducing culture, countries can use multicultural diplomacy Milton Cummings defined cultural diplomacy as the exchange of concepts, knowledge, works of art, and other cultural elements with the intention of preserving an attitude of mutual understanding between one country and another and between people.  

Culture has something that can make someone interested, due to the differences and characteristics it has, this easily attracts someone's interest when looking at the culture itself.

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How Soft Power Became Cultural Diplomacy in Japan

This instrument refers to the approach of Soft Power and Public Diplomacy, making Anime a source of current Japanese power. 

This is because the cultural diplomacy carried out by Japan is a cultural exchange between countries driven by the influence of the international public which continues to support and make anime an attraction for this country. 

The soft power instrument that is underway is concerned with education, culture, and other aspects that connect relationships without coercive violence. 

This is evident in the presence of Anime which is an educational realm for the audience, where they begin to know Japanese and become interested in Japanese so they want to learn it. 

Not a few students and students want to continue their studies in Japan because it started with an interest in anime.

The Role of the Japanese Government in Strengthening Soft Power

The role of the Japanese government in strengthening the country's soft power through anime started with the Intellectual Property Law made by Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro in 2002. 

Then in 2004, the Japanese government issued a law promoting the creative industry which was consolidated under the name 'Content Industry', where the law oversees various kinds of Japanese creative industry media such as anime, manga, video games, films, television shows, and popular music.

Simultaneously with the making of this law, the Japanese government then created a draft policy called the 'Intellectual Property Strategic Program' (IPSP) aimed at "stimulating and revitalizing intellectual creations as well as protecting and exploiting the potential of individual creations". 

Then the Strategic Council on Intellectual Property was established as a supporter of increasing the competitiveness of Japan's creative industries and economic revitalization by establishing a "National Strategy for Intellectual Property" to progress and vehemently support the essential laws pertaining to the sector Japanese creatives (SCIP, 2004). 

At least 221 countries have entered into contracts with Japan regarding the distribution of anime. The contract relates to broadcasting rights which is the main focus of the formation of this agreement; supervision of film distribution; description of sales of merchandise, manga, or anime in the form of VCDs or film cassettes; how anime should be broadcast in that country. 2004). 

The factors Behind Anime Becoming So Popular In The World Are

The influence of globalization and mass media, globalization is very influential in giving impact in various fields of life. 

We can easily feel the impact of globalization in the cultural sector, considering that technological developments are increasing rapidly from time to time. 

This allows us to easily get to know cultures abroad, so cultural exchange and cultural mixing are two things that cannot be separated from people's lives in this modern era. 

It's easy to access or get anime content through the website. The mass media promotes and impacts anime culture by bringing it to the public and introducing it to it. 

The meanings found in the anime take the shape of this uplifting artwork. things as bravery, perseverance, and camaraderie. This is what makes anime fascinating and amazes viewers. 

Hegemony's result is this sense of wonder. An emotion that lures anime viewers into their mind is admiration. Fans believe that anime is accurate and that it has no flaws. 

So everything related to anime is positive and many positive things can be taken from consuming anime. This is what Gramsci said (Amroshy: 2014)

Has an interesting storyline, with the development of technology, it is easy to access free or paid anime shows on the internet.

Unique anime character, anime displays a storyline that is similar to stories that are experienced in real people's lives, although sometimes many are seen as unrealistic. Anime adopts a unique title so that it becomes something new for the world of entertainment. 

Anime has its own characteristics when compared to other animations or cartoons from various parts of the world. There are many things that are interesting about the first anime: the depiction of unique characters. 

The characters are depicted in detail including their expressions and an exploration of the character's backgrounds. Popular culture is a form of art created primarily for audience appeal (Williams, 1983).

There are many genre choices in anime that can be chosen by various ages. Anime has many genres so it becomes a good selling point for fans. With a variety of genres, the audience can choose according to the genre they like.

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History of Anime

Shimokawa Bokoten's initial animation experiments mark the beginning of Japanese animation work. In 1913, Kitayama Seitaro and Koichi Junichi. Then came a 1917 short film by Oten Shimokawa called Imokawa Mukuzo Genkanban no Maki, which was only a few minutes long. 

Only the 5-minute animation sans sound took Shimokawa six months to complete at the time. Shimokawa's work was later followed by Seitaro Kitayama's 1918 anime Saru Kani Kassen and Momotaro, which was produced for the movie studio Nihon Katsudo Shashin (Nikkatsu). 

At that time, Sarugashima (1930) and Kaizoku-bune, the first anime to have a sequel, were released (1931). In 1927, the United States succeeded in creating an animated film with sound, although only using background music. 

American NBC, which also broadcasts the adaptation of the Tetsuwan Atom series with the title Astro Boy and gets good ratings there, is willing to provide funds. 

NBC then asked Tezuka for new episodes, especially the color ones, to encourage potential United States audiences and they were also willing to finance Mushi Pro, Tezuka's animation studio, In 1979, Mobile Suit Gundam was released by Sunrise, the studio founded by one of the former Mushi Pro staff. 

Before Bandai purchased the product rights and began making Gundam action figures, the show wasn't very well-liked. 

Since then, there have been over 70 Gundam series, special editions, and anime movies produced, along with the sale of countless Gundam action figures. Meanwhile, Nippon TV decided to release Doraemon in 1973. 

This version of the series initially ended with a small number of episodes, but it was aired again in 1979 by Shin Ei Animation which stopped at 1,787 episodes in March 2005, and aired again a month than with new Shin-Ei continues to generate artwork and voice performers up until this point. 

80s era beginning, anime is increasingly popular, and more and more film producers are trying to fulfill people's wishes. 

This growth is further supported by the emergence of video cassettes as media. With VCR technology, people can get their favorite anime in video form. 

This is what then prompted the emergence of a video version of an anime that is sold directly to the public without having to air it on television first. 

It was during this era that adult anime began to emerge. One of the works that were booming at that time was Akira which was the work of Katsuhiro Otomo in 1988. 

Even though in the domestic sphere Akira did not become a film worthy of being called a box office, outside of Japan Akira brought the popularity of anime and became a breakthrough both in terms of animation techniques and story content. 

This his animation raises the environmental theme in a fantastical setting and is supported by World Wide Fund for Nature. Another of Miyazaki's works is Kiki's. Delivery Service in 1989, not only achieved huge commercial profits but also marked the beginning of Studio Ghibli's collaboration with Walt Disney, who has since distributed Ghibli-produced animations under the auspices of Buena Vista entertainment.

" Historical themes were also adopted by Japanese animators.  Keiji Nakazawa raised the theme of the victims of Hiroshima with an anime titled Hadashi no Gen which aired in 1983 directed by Masaki Mori. One of the other famous anime with a similar theme is Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies). 

With the emergence of anime with complex and deep themes, anime is no longer considered animated cinema which is specifically for children only and has become a spectacle for various age levels of viewers. 

Entering the 1990s, many intellectually interesting anime emerged, such as the TV series that was considered provocative, namely Hideki Anno's Neon Genesis Evangelion because it featured religious elements and symbols. 

in 1995, Ghost in the Shell was released and received much criticism for its heavy philosophical depth and visuals which are a blend of cel animation techniques with the computer. 

Since the 90s, anime has spread widely outside of Japan. And entering the 21st century, anime is increasingly proving its quality by winning various international awards. Studio Ghibli with Hayao Miyazaki started donating.

How Japan Markets Anime

Anime has topped the animation world for the last three decades or so. More than 60% of the cartoons broadcast worldwide are Japanese productions. 

This is inseparable from the quality offered by the anime itself. Not only focusing on the story, goals, and characteristics of the anime that will be shown, but also paying attention to the means of dissemination so that the anime can go global and can attract more fans from outside Japan. 

Because logically, no matter how interesting anime is, no matter how many types of anime are broadcast, it will not be able to attract many fans from abroad if the scope of distribution is not that wide, or in other words, it is difficult to consume. 

Even for that the Japanese government and the producers of the anime being distributed are not very strict and are not too concerned about the free dissemination of anime through fansub or anime translation sites on the internet, regardless of whether it is illegal or not, because this is an international publication for free, moreover subtitles have been added. 

Anime that has entered countries other than Japan can be modified by distributors in the country concerned regarding language and censorship in the anime. 

Not infrequently anime also undergoes an editing process in the country where it is broadcast due to the different values and culture of that country and what is adhered to in Japan. 

Actors in the cultural diplomacy that is run by Japan are classified as non-government or non-government. 

The popularity of anime on the international stage is the result of the work and creativity of individual Japanese illustrators and animators, which is the result of the development and increasing popularity that has given positive feedback to this country. 

The affected targets are not from circles or government agencies, but from the public or society, especially young people. In addition, the broadcast of this anime itself is sponsored and under the auspices of an animation screening institution in Japan so in this case, the actor involved is not the state or the government (Warsito & Kartikasari, 2007).

The Impact of the Success of Japanese Strategic Diplomacy

It is entirely legitimate to applaud Japan's plan for implementing and maximizing its cultural values in diplomatic relation. 

This reason is popularity of this anime has made many foreign people interested in Japanese culture so it affects increased the number of foreign tourists, especially in the period 2012 to 2017. 

The Japanese government makes anime one of its foreign policy instruments or commonly called the Cool Japan Strategy because this anime Japan succeeded in forming a positive impression on the international scene (Firman, 2014). 

The success of the strategy taken by Japan to increase the number of tourists shows that Japanese culture can be accepted by people from other countries. 

As said by Joseph Nye who stated that the power can be in presenting cultural values in cultural diplomacy and attracting a positive public impression so that it can gain support and influence the foreign public towards its foreign policy, Japan can be said to have achieved its national interests in various sectors. 

The reason is that with the presence of this anime, Japan has succeeded in increasing the economic, tourism, and education sectors, as well as attracting foreign relations with other countries, one of which is Indonesia. The presence of this anime has had a big impact on the Japanese government. 

Even though anime is only limited to digital animation, this spreads to the economic sector because there are many arts and other masterpieces that are born from anime. 

such as the many accessories and clothing products with character nuances in Anime, so the variety of Japanese market products is increasingly broad (Erwindo, 2018). 

In addition, with the high public interest in anime, many anime lovers' communities have emerged in various parts of the world so it's not surprising that this high sense of interest has made anime lovers visit the country of Sakura where anime originates (Aulia, 2012). This is what triggers the high number of foreign tourists visiting Japan. 

Many anime lovers have emerged in various parts of the world so it is not surprising that a high sense of interest has made anime lovers visit the country of Sakura where the anime originates (Aulia, 2012). 

This is what triggers the high number of foreign tourists visiting Japan. Many anime lovers have emerged in various parts of the world so it is not surprising that a high sense of interest has made anime lovers visit the country of Sakura where the anime originates (Aulia, 2012). This is what triggers the high number of foreign tourists visiting Japan.

History and Development of Anime in Indonesia

The entry of anime into Indonesia began with the mass broadcast of anime series on various Indonesian television stations. Even now, animation shows in Indonesia are still dominated by anime shows. 

The growing sophistication of technology, particularly in terms of convenient access to the internet anywhere and anytime, only serves to exacerbate this issue. Things relating to anime can spread swiftly because it takes only a few seconds to find all kinds of information. 

Through its internet, animation can be circulated freely and consumers are usually teenagers to adults. 

Due to the high public interest in anime, Special sites have started to appear that provide online anime screenings complete with Indonesian subtitles and viewers can download whatever anime they want from the first episode to the last so they can watch it anytime and anywhere. The number of anime series produced to date has reached thousands. 

According to a survey quoted from Encyclopedia Japan, more than 6,000 anime titles were produced, and more than 3,200 anime titles were shown on television. 

According to some figures, Japan produces around 60% of the animation aired worldwide. 

For now, the development of anime in Indonesia is growing bigger and more endemic, the emergence of a fanbase of anime lovers, Japanese-themed events, and anime festivals on campuses, indicates Japan's success in choosing targets, this can be proven by its fans, which are commonly called Otaku, but in Indonesian society, it is better known as Wibu. 

One group that has views on popular culture is the feminist group, they see popular culture as a criminal and a source of enjoyment. This can be proven by more than 85,000 people starting to study the Japanese language, Japanese culture, and even the daily activities of Japanese people. 

According to research conducted by the Japan Foundation, Indonesia is the second country with the most people studying Japanese. One group that has views on popular culture is the feminist group, they see popular culture as a criminal and a source of enjoyment. 

This can be proven by more than 85,000 people starting to study the Japanese language, Japanese culture, and even the daily activities of Japanese people. 

According to research conducted by the Japan Foundation, Indonesia is the second country with the most people studying Japanese. 

One group that has views on popular culture is the feminist group, they see popular culture as a criminal and a source of enjoyment.

 This can be proven by more than 85,000 people starting to study the Japanese language, Japanese culture, and even the daily activities of Japanese people. 

According to research conducted by the Japan Foundation, Indonesia is the second country with the most people studying Japanese.

Japanese animators have used anime throughout its history to introduce audiences to a variety of story ideas and subjects, from those geared toward children and teenagers to adults.

Countries That Collaborate With Japan in the Field of Anime

Regarding the introduction of anime in Indonesia, 30 nations have worked with Japan. According to the aforementioned graph, China has 355 contracts, followed by Korea with 308 contracts, as the nation having the most with the Japanese anime sector.

 With 55 contracts and 48 contracts respectively, Luxembourg and Malta have the fewest agreements with Japan.

The average broadcast time across nations is another indicator of anime's popularity. The enjoyment of anime by children and young people is also monitored throughout this broadcast time.

Anime and manga are not the most popular in China, despite the fact that China has the most contracts with the Japanese anime sector. The Philippines, Indonesia, Peru, and Malaysia are just a few examples of developing nations that are fans of anime and manga.

to develop their sector, advanced students should instead study anime and manga (Hiromichi, 2017). Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, and South America are two regions that enjoy anime or manga.

In the implementation of modern diplomatic practices, we often see diplomatic practices that use official state channels. Louise Diamond and John McDonald then put forward a concept called Multi-track diplomacy.

In simple terms, a Multi-track diplomacy is a tool or pathway for countries to be able to carry out their diplomatic practices.

Multi-track diplomacy also has nine different tracks or paths, namely, first through government, second through non-governmental organizations, third through business, fourth through civil society, fifth through research and education, sixth through activism by organizations, seventh through religious channels, eighth with funding, and ninth through communication media.

However, in the application of this research, only 3 tracks are used, including: (Louise Diamond and John McDonald, 1999).

a. The diplomatic route via commerce. This route uses the economy as a tool for diplomacy, moving from big businesses like multinational corporations to small businesses. The benefit of this approach is that a high degree of economic dependency can result in successful diplomatic practices because neither party wants to harm their economy, as in the case of Japan and Indonesia's cultural exchange programs.

b. Diplomacy's route through civil society. This route enables people to participate in diplomatic operations. There are four ways to conduct out diplomacy using this path. The first method is citizen diplomacy or exchange programs. The second is by means of personal volunteer development initiatives or groups. Advocacy or niche organizations are the third method. Professional interest groups are the fourth strategy. One of them is the Anime Festival Asia (AFA) initiative, which plans an event for young teenagers who are interested in Japanese pop culture.

c. utilizing communication media for diplomacy. The communication medium can be used to effectively shape public opinion on a topic that may traverse international borders. This line of diplomacy is connected to other lines of diplomacy since other lines depend on and can benefit from the media's ability to communicate with the general public. The rapid transmission of information is a benefit of this diplomatic strategy, but on the other side, the media is a business that wants to make money, thus there is a chance that the media could take control.

Japanese culture in Indonesia shows that there are at least two people, namely Japanese and Westerners. The actor is Japan, because they promoted it to the west through the tradition of eating sushi together.

From the involvement of westerners with a mix of Japanese culture by placing western elements in anime films, it shows that this is one of the efforts from Japan that can be used as a cultural diplomacy tool to bridge and facilitate mutual understanding in this era of globalization.

The existence of the adoption of western culture that appears in the anime illustrates that Japanese cultural diplomacy is presupposed by the openness that is poured in the anime by involving foreign cultures without being limited to all aspects of the cultural values contained therein.

The target audience can also be used to classify anime. Examples include:

• Shojo: Young female viewers are the target audience for shojo anime. Sailor Moon and Fruits Basket are two examples. Japanese Mew-mew. Sakura from Cardcaptor, among others

• Shonen: Anime aimed at a teenage boy audience.Examples: One piece, Dragon Ball Digimon. Pokémon and so on.

• Seinen: The target audience is adult males, Example: Oh My Goddeess, Cowboy bebop, Akira. and so forth.

• Josei: The target audience is mature women. Example: Gokusen, Honey and Clover, Hataraki Man, and so on.

• Kodomo: Anime aimed at children, according to the translation of kodomo which is "children". Example: Doraemon, Hamtaro, Ninja Hatori, P-Man. - and so forth.

 

 

 

The primary genres represented in anime are:

• Adventures take priority above action, neither fighting nor war. physical conflict. The use of weapons, realistic action, and numerous martial arts methods all support this genre. Naruto, One Piece, Samurai X, Dragon Ball Z, Bleach, and other examples

• Dramas; constructing the plot through character growth and emotive themes. and the intricate interplay between the characters. Examples are Shigatsu Kimi no usage, Kare Kano, and Fushigi Yugi. c. Game-based: the narrative is based on video games. Yu-Gi-Oh, Beyblade, Let's Play.

• Horror: utilizes ominous, paranormal themes. e. Examples include the Vampire Hunter D series and Higurashi no naku kuru ni.

• Science fiction focuses on the future, particularly modern technology and technologies that address needs. man. Examples are The Wings of Honeamise, Royal Space Force, Ghost in the Shell, Akira, and paprika.