Itochu and other Japanese trading houses are making investments to solve the supply chain bottleneck for official toys, apparel and collectibles of anime and manga in overseas markets. | BLOOMBERG

Itochu is taking a 40% stake in San Francisco-based character licensing startup Octas, the latest move by a Japanese trading house seeking to capitalize on overseas demand for anime merchandise.

Following Itochu’s investment, Octas will license Japanese characters and work with North American manufacturers and retailers to develop products, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named because the talks are private.

Streaming platforms have made anime instantly accessible worldwide, but the supply chain for official toys, apparel and collectibles has lagged behind.…