★ In 2023, the Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index (a global survey measuring national image attractiveness) ranked Japan first in the world. In the same year, Japan’s nominal GDP (total economic output calculated at current market prices) fell to fourth place. Economic decline and cultural rise occurring in parallel—this book takes this as its starting point to explore how cultural resources can be converted into corporate competitiveness.
★ Author Saso Kunitake is a strategic designer. He graduated from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law and holds a Master of Design Methods from the Illinois Institute of Technology. At P&G he handled hit products including Febreze and Lenor; at Sony he worked on company-wide new business creation programs. In 2015 he founded the strategic design firm BIOTOPE. His previous book “The Art of Connecting Intuition and Logic” sold nearly 100,000 copies in Japan.
★ The book introduces the concept of the “Culturepreneur”—not government-led cultural policy, but a new strategy in which companies and individuals convert cultural resources into business value. The author argues that Japanese culture already integrated into global daily life—dashi, sushi, kitchen knives, kintsugi—is becoming a business resource companies can develop.
★ The author traveled to London, Berlin, Paris, New York, Singapore and other cities, interviewing entrepreneurs and creators promoting Japanese culture locally. He also collaborated with Japan‘s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on a “How overseas cities see Japanese brands” survey. Based on this research, the book systematically shows what overseas consumers value in cultural products and why they are willing to pay for them. Not “we think our culture is good,” but “how overseas markets actually see it.”

Dashi, sushi and other foods; kitchen knives, kintsugi and other artisan techniques.
Japanese culture expanding into global daily life.
A strategy for connecting cultural resources with business growth.

In 2023, Japan’s nominal GDP fell to fourth in the world.
But in the same year‘s Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index—a survey of about 60,000 people across 60 countries asking about national image—Japan ranked first.

From economic data to cultural evaluation, how is the world’s attention toward Japan changing?
Ranked first in the Nation Brands Index.
Washoku, crafts, spirituality…
What is the “Culturepreneur” that turns the world‘s attention into business value?
What do overseas consumers value in cultural products?
What emerges is a path for converting cultural resources into business. A strategy connecting corporate growth, regional economies, and cultural export, creating new value and depicting the possibilities of the Culturepreneur.

Saso Kunitake
Representative of BIOTOPE Co., Ltd. / Chief Strategic Designer. Specially Appointed Associate Professor at Tama Art University. Graduated from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law; completed the Master of Design Methods program at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Served as Brand Manager at P&G’s marketing department, and worked on launching new business creation programs at Sony Corporation‘s Creative Center. In 2015, founded the strategic design firm BIOTOPE. Author of “The Art of Connecting Intuition and Logic” (nearly 100,000 copies sold in Japan), “Imitation and Creation,” and others. All his works have been translated overseas.