Japanese formatters throw world pitch

Tokyo, japan -- Using the local TV market suffering a little from stagnation, a Japanese TV industry org is trying to enable producers to consider their formats and nonfiction shows on the highway.The Assn. of Japan Tv Series Companies is hosting the Tokyo, japan TV Forum, it's first worldwide pitching event, today through Wednesday in Tokyo, japan. An overall total of 20 commissioning editors along with other pros from around the globe will hear pitches on 21 docu projects from Japan throughout the 3-day event. Top projects will gain admission to the Asian Side from the Doc pitch event in March.The 21 pitches were selected from nearly 60 posted by production houses countrywide. One of the panelists being pitched are reps from BBC, PBS Distribution, Closed-circuit television, KBS, TFI, NDR/ARD, Arte France and Discovery Systems Asia Off-shore.The forum will also feature panel periods and training courses made to give Japanese producers much deeper experience into worldwide TV marketplaces. One of the presenters are Yutaka Shigenobu, Boss of major Japanese production house TV Guy Union Minoru Toizumi, prexy of Hokkaido Television Broadcasting Hiroshi Takahashi, prexy of Toei Animation and Akihiro Arai, a senior director at Fuji Television Network, among Japan's five commercial systems.Japanese tv stations have lengthy offered their formats and shows abroad, with TBS' popular obstacle course show "Sasuke" airing on G4 as "American Ninja Warrior" (using the show's finale airing on sister network NBC). Forum director Yukihiko Amagi sees the big event as an opportunity to better connect Japanese producers with worldwide gamers."The TTVF is a superb opportunity for worldwide marketplaces to determine the very best of what Japanese documentary makers have to give you,Inch Amagi stated. "And it is an excellent chance for Japanese documentary producers to obtain up to date on worldwide co-production, get their plans examined by worldwide experts, and discover the steps to signing a co-production deal." Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com