VES Japan Section Launches, Japan Academy Prize Adds VFX Award
The launch gives Japanese VFX professionals a direct connection to the global VES network of roughly 5,600 members, and coincides with the Japan Academy Prize adding a dedicated VFX Award, marking two milestones for the industry in Japan.
Reporting from 1 source: GameBusiness.jp.
The Visual Effects Society has launched its Japan chapter, VES Japan Section. The founding event was held July 31, 2026, at Tokyo Polytechnic University's Nakano Campus, combining a declaration of the chapter's founding with a celebration of the newly established Japan Academy Prize VFX Award. VES headquarters approved the chapter in January 2026, and a 12-member Board of Managers was elected with Masaru Suzuki of Shirogumi as the first Section Chair.
VES Japan Section is not a separately incorporated entity in Japan. It operates as a section of VES headquarters, and details of systems and activities will be shared through online and offline channels. The listed areas of activity include screenings, membership, communications, social media, event planning, sponsorship, outreach, and education.
Future initiatives mentioned at the event include support for VES Awards submissions, use of member screening systems, and information sharing in Japanese. The event opened with a VES Awards showreel and a video message from VES headquarters President Kim Davidson welcoming the Japan chapter.
- Masaru Suzuki: Section Chair, from Shirogumi
- Ren Kikuchi: Inaugural BOM member
- Rumiko Kinoshita: Inaugural BOM member
- Koichi Nobuta: Inaugural BOM member
- Takayuki Ueki: Wants to convey voices from the field to VES
- Satoshi Yamaguchi: Wants to develop VFX as an industry
- Hideki Takemura: Touched on promoting participation among younger members
- Mei Hanawa: Wants to use social media operations to reach members
- Takahiko Akiyama: Inaugural BOM member
- Koji Matsunaga: Inaugural BOM member
- Issei Oda: Inaugural BOM member
- Jeffrey Dellinger: Inaugural BOM member
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.