Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) signed a partnership agreement with Kobe Shoin University on May 8, 2026, to jointly promote the development of talent capable of handling everything from creative production to business development in the field of IP, including manga and anime. The two parties will begin working together on areas such as curriculum design for the university’s IP Produce Course in the Department of Fashion and Housing Design, as well as initiatives that make use of the university’s own IP. As background to the agreement, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is working to expand overseas sales in the content industry, including anime and manga, from 5.8 trillion yen in 2023 to around 20 trillion yen by 2033. While exports of Japanese content are growing, anime, manga, and related fields face challenges in maximizing revenue for domestic content holders and building business models for overseas expansion. The industry needs talent that not only has the creative ability to generate IP, but can also oversee the full business picture, including communications, overseas distribution know-how, and mechanisms to secure the interests of domestic content holders. To address these issues, Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs is supporting stronger industry-academia-government education and the development of practical training programs. Kobe Shoin University is working to develop “IP generalists,” talent capable of handling the full process from IP creation to business development, as one of its distinctive educational initiatives. In April 2026, the university launched the IP Produce Course, where students can study these areas comprehensively. DNP operates a content business that maximizes the appeal and value of IP and converts it into a variety of experiences. In actual business settings, comprehensive knowledge and practical capabilities are required, including creativity to maximize IP value, advanced technologies such as AI, IP licensing, la