A indústria de animes e o programa Cool Japan: Soft power e diplomacia cultural do Japão (2000–2020)

Abstract

This undergraduate thesis investigates how Japanese anime functions simultaneously as a reservoir of soft power and a tool of cultural diplomacy between 2000 and 2020. Anchored in Joseph Nye’s theory of soft power, the study (i) revisits the evolution of power in International Relations, (ii) reconstructs Japan’s historical turn from imperial militarism to a pacifist, culture‑exporting state after 1945, (iii) traces the global rise of the anime industry, and (iv) analyses government policies - especially the Cool Japan strategy - that deliberately amplified anime’s overseas reach. Using a qualitative, hypothesis‑testing design supported by descriptive statistics (tourism flows, streaming data, export revenue), the research demonstrates that spontaneous popularity of anime among foreign audiences supplied Japan with an attractive image, but state intervention from 2002 onward was decisive for converting that cultural appeal into measurable soft‑power assets. Findings indicate that anime-driven perceptions facilitated friendlier diplomatic climates, expanded Japan’s creative‑industry revenues, and inspired policy imitation abroad. The thesis concludes that popular‑culture goods, when coherently aligned with foreign‑policy goals, can strengthen national influence without coercion, although their impact remains context‑dependent and vulnerable to regional historical grievances.