What Japanese television format inspired the British series Dragons' Den?

The Japanese television format that inspired the British series Dragons' Den was Money Tigers.

Money Tigers, known in Japan as Manē no Tora, established the central idea used by Dragons' Den: entrepreneurs present proposals to a panel of wealthy businesspeople and seek funding. The panel questions the presenter about the product, finances, market, and requested ownership before deciding whether to invest.

The British programme adapted that structure for its own audience and business culture. Its investors became known as dragons, while other countries used different names for similar panels. The name Shark Tank, for example, belongs to the American adaptation rather than the original Japanese format.

This origin is easy to miss because the British title became internationally familiar. Dragons' Den is therefore not an entirely original British invention, although its individual investors, entrepreneurs, deals, and production history are specific to the UK version.