Tokyo Film Festival Opens With Peace Appeal and Film Industry Pledge

WHO:

Variety - Japan’s government stated its ambitions for selling Japanese content overseas.

Deadline - Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addressed the opening ceremony in a video message.

Deadline - Japanese actor and festival navigator Kento Nakajima spoke about the rain and its symbolism.

WHAT:

Variety - The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival opened with a rain-soaked red carpet and a ceremony.

Variety - The festival received 1,892 film submissions from 112 countries and regions.

Variety - Japan’s government restated its goal of selling JPY20 trillion ($133 billion) worth of Japanese content overseas by 2033.

Deadline - Takaichi pledged support for Japanese film at the festival’s opening.

Deadline - Nakajima said rain symbolizes prosperity and that the local film industry could expect plenty of it in the coming year.

WHERE:

Variety - The opening ceremony took place at Hulic Hall in Tokyo.

WHY:

Variety - Japan’s government used the festival opening to restate its ambitions for overseas sales of Japanese content.

Deadline - Nakajima linked the rain to prosperity for the local film industry.

HOW:

Deadline - Takaichi delivered her remarks in a video message.

(UPDATED October 27, 2026 08:07 UTC)

The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival opened with a rain-soaked red carpet and ceremony at Hulic Hall, after receiving 1,892 film submissions from 112 countries and regions. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged support for Japanese film in a video message, while the government restated its goal of selling JPY20 trillion, or $133 billion, in Japanese content overseas by 2033. Festival navigator Kento Nakajima said rain symbolizes prosperity and suggested the local film industry could expect plenty of it in the coming year.