26 billionoshikatsu, or fandom, economy based on enthusiasm for specific people and characters through spending money on related goods and content is rapidly expanding…

26bnmarketgoesbeyondTVadvertisingtodrawrevenuefromeventsandmerchandiseMembersofcontentcreationgroupAlternaChannelwavetoavideocamerainTokyoonOct.6.(PhotobyYujiMurakami)TOKYO−−Japan′s26bn market goes beyond TV advertising to draw revenue from events and merchandise Members of content creation group Alterna Channel wave to a video camera in Tokyo on Oct. 6. (Photo by Yuji Murakami) TOKYO -- Japan's 26 billionoshikatsu, or fandom, economy based on enthusiasm for specific people and characters through spending money on related goods and content is rapidly expanding as the very concept of what constitutes fame and stardom in the country undergoes a digital transformation.