Netflix has made its strongest statement yet in Japan — and it’s a big one. During a major content showcase in Tokyo, Netflix quietly confirmed a landmark production deal with Toho Studios, effectively doubling its leased studio space in the country.
Netflix Japan’s creative head Kaata Sakamoto revealed that the streamer expects to produce up to 15 live-action titles every year at Toho Studios, underlining Netflix’s long-term commitment to the world’s third-largest entertainment market.
Now in its 11th year in Japan, Netflix also unveiled its largest Japanese content slate ever, spanning prestige dramas, films, unscripted shows, anime, and even live sports — positioning Japan not just as a local growth market, but a global content engine.
🎬 Netflix Japan 2026: The Big Picture
At the Tokyo Midtown event, Netflix announced:
- 13 scripted series
- 3 feature films
- 8 anime titles
- Full live coverage of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (47 games)
Executives repeatedly emphasized that Japanese storytelling — especially anime and prestige drama — has become central to Netflix’s global strategy.
📺 SERIES (Live-Action)
Sins of Kujo
Launch: April 2, 2026
A dark legal drama based on Shohei Manabe’s manga, starring Yuya Yagira as a lawyer who defends society’s worst criminals.
Cast: Yuya Yagira, Hokuto Matsumura, Elaiza Ikeda, Keita Machida
Directors: Nobuhiro Doi, Takeyoshi Yamamoto, Hiroshi Adachi
Writer: Nonji Nemoto
3 Straight to Hell
Launch: April 27, 2026
A sweeping biographical drama chronicling the rise and scandal of infamous fortune-teller Kazuko Hosoki.
Cast: Erika Toda, Sairi Ito, Toma Ikuta
Directors: Tomoyuki Takimoto, Norichika Ohba
Writer: Manaka Monaka
Soul Mate
Launch: May 14, 2026
A decade-spanning queer romance set across Berlin, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Cast: Hayato Isomura, Ok Taec-yeon
Writer/Director: Shunki Hashizume
Viral Hit
Launch: May 28, 2026
Live-action adaptation of the hit Korean webtoon about viral underground fight streams.
Cast: Ouji Suzuka, Ai Mikami
Director: Hideki Takeuchi
Writer: Yuichi Tokunaga
Human Vapor
Launch: 2026
A high-profile reboot of Toho’s sci-fi classic, written by Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan).
Cast: Shun Oguri, Yu Aoi, Suzu Hirose
Director: Shinzo Katayama
S&X
Launch: 2026
A sensitive drama about intimacy, therapy, and modern relationships.
Cast: Kento Nakajima
Director: Shogo Kusano
Writer: Tomoko Yoshida
Plastic Beauty
Launch: 2026
A sharp look at Japan’s cosmetic surgery industry.
Cast: Mayu Matsuoka, Riisa Naka
Director: Yuki Saito
Did Someone Happen to Mention Me?
Launch: 2026
A meta comedy starring Koji Yakusho as a forgotten movie star.
Writer: Kankuro Kudo
Quiztopia
Launch: 2026
A dystopian quiz-show thriller based on cult manga Kokumin Quiz.
Cast: Takayuki Yamada
🎥 FILMS
This Is I
Launch: February 10, 2026
A moving true story about gender identity and courage.
Cast: Haruki Mochizuki, Takumi Saitoh
Director: Yusaku Matsumoto
My Crazy Feminist Girlfriend
Launch: 2026
A modern romantic clash inspired by a controversial Korean novel.
Cast: Mei Nagano
Writer/Director: Keiichi Kobayashi
One Year to Live, Buy a Man
Launch: 2026
A tender, unconventional love story following a terminal diagnosis.
Cast: Ko Shibasaki, Eiji Akaso
Director: Hiroki Kazama
🎭 UNSCRIPTED SERIES
- The Boyfriend – Season 2 (Jan 13, 2026)
- Doors Closed, Bids Open (Host: Matsuko Deluxe)
- Love Village – Season 3
- Badly in Love – Season 2
⚾ LIVE EVENT
2026 World Baseball Classic
March 5–18, 2026
All 47 games streamed live in Japan, featuring stars like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
🎌 ANIME
- Fire Force – Final Season Part 2 (Jan 10, 2026)
- Love Through a Prism (Jan 15, 2026)
- Cosmic Princess Kaguya! (Jan 22, 2026)
- BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai (Feb 26, 2026)
- Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Mar 19, 2026)
- BEASTARS – Final Season Part 2 (Mar 2026)
- The Ramparts of Ice (Apr 2026)
- Sparks of Tomorrow (Jul 2026, Kyoto Animation)
🎯 Final Words
Netflix isn’t just expanding in Japan — it’s embedding itself into the country’s creative infrastructure. With a Toho Studios expansion, prestige collaborations, anime dominance, and live sports streaming, Netflix is signaling that Japan is no longer a regional play — it’s a cornerstone of its global future.
This isn’t a slate.
It’s a statement.
