Japan’s biggest business lobby has called on the government to significantly increase budgets and establish a “content ministry” to boost the global competitiveness of the country’s entertainment industries.

Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) proposed last year that entertainment media, such as anime and video games, become a driving force for Japan’s economic growth.

However, international competition is fierce. For example, South Korea, which has produced global hits with K-pop and films, is promoting its content industry through nationwide efforts.

In his latest proposal, Keidanren expressed a sense of urgency, warning that Japan risks losing its global competitiveness in high-quality media to South Korea and other countries.

“We strongly urge the new Cabinet to make content promotion a top priority,” the statement said.

Specifically, the proposal suggests creating a “content ministry” that would serve as a central authority for content policy across multiple government ministries, and consolidating support measures and budgets.

It also calls for a rapid increase in the budget to at least 200 billion yen ($1.3 billion), several times the current amount.