Mipcom to honour Japan

MIPTV: Japan has been named the Mipcom 2016 Country of Honour, with the event set to focus specifically on the country’s 4K and animation production.

Mipcom organiser Reed Midem made the announcement this afternoon here in Cannes. The Country of Honour programme is organised in partnership with the French Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

The Country of Honour showcase will look firstly at the rapid uptake of ultra-high-definition 4K broadcasting in the country, where penetration of 4K television sets is expected to cover more than half the market by 2020 – well ahead of forecasts for North America or Europe.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are due to be broadcast in 4K and 8K.

The second key focus will be on Japanese animation, with 2017 marking the 100th anniversary of the genre in Japan. Animation today accounts for 62% of Japan’s TV programming exports.

The event will also include presentations on Japanese tourism and cuisine.