New Taiwan-Japan Film Fund Daily Capital Debuts at Tokyo Market With Period Romance as First Project

A new investment fund devoted to film and television co-productions between Taiwan and Japan was unveiled at TIFFCOM, the market held alongside the Tokyo International Film Festival. Daily Capital made its debut on the market's opening day during the "Taiwan Originals: Project Showcase" event.

The fund is seeking to raise NT$100 million, roughly $3.1 million, and plans to back at least five projects in film, television and animation during its first two years. Founder Chang Chen-yu told Variety that 70% of the target has been secured and that operations are expected to start by the end of the year.

Chang explained at the launch that the name "Daily" reflects a belief that meaningful progress comes from daily effort.

In Japan, the fund has lined up K2 Pictures and Remow as co-development partners. K2 Pictures was founded by producer Kii Muneyuki and brings together filmmakers including Iwai Shunji, Miike Takashi, Nishikawa Miwa and Kore-eda Hirokazu. Remow is supported by Japanese entertainment and media groups such as Shueisha, Toei, Amuse, Shochiku, TBS Holdings and Fuji Media Holdings, giving it access to established IP libraries and distribution networks.

Chang said investment sizes will depend on the scale and needs of each project. "We expect to come in during development or pre-production, contribute to script discussions and help assemble the core creative team," he said, adding that the fund also aims to keep its primary capital recovery period within three years.

The strategy is to combine Japan's intellectual property and production expertise with Taiwan's flexible financing and co-production experience. The fund also intends to draw on local production incentives and distribution networks in order to reach audiences beyond Japanese- and Mandarin-speaking markets.

Its first announced investment is the 10-episode series "Love Ends in Bloom," a historical romance and business drama set in 1930s Chiayi and Alishan. The story follows a Japanese geisha who devises a cross-border marriage scheme to save her mother, then enters a forbidden romance with a Taiwanese timber magnate. It takes place during the Japanese colonial period, from 1895 to 1945, when Taiwan's cypress industry was flourishing, and presents the era through a Japanese woman's perspective.

The idea emerged after Chang returned to his hometown of Chiayi in 2023, when the railway station was being renovated. That prompted him to think about the city's forestry and railway history. "Despite our proximity, Taiwan, Japan and Korea are rarely seen together in one narrative," he said in an earlier interview with Variety.

The series is written by Juliana Hsu, whose credits include the period drama "Gold Leaf," and directed by Sun Jie-heng, who made the wartime historical drama "Three Tears in Borneo." Filming is scheduled to begin in February 2027, with a release targeted for mid-2028.

Chang said the fund will judge its success by whether its projects reach Japanese broadcasters, regional platforms and global streamers while meeting projected returns. "Those results could help Daily Capital raise a larger second fund focused on Taiwan-Japan and wider Asian co-productions," he said.