The Straits Times reported that Japanese cultural exports (revenues from royalties and sales of anime, videogames, music, art, films, and fashion) reached $12.5 billion in 2002, up 300% from 1992. Over-all exports grew only 15% during the same period. That makes the growth in the world's appetite for Japanese pop culture one of the bright spots in an otherwise moribund Japanese economy. According to the article, some are arguing that Japan has become the second largest exporter of culture in the world, after the U.S.