Japan created the television format later adapted in Britain as Dragons' Den.
The format originated with the Japanese programme Money Tigers, or Manē no Tora. Its premise was that entrepreneurs would present business proposals to wealthy investors and seek money in return for an ownership stake. British television adapted that structure as Dragons' Den, changing the title, panel and business environment while retaining the core negotiation.
The international spread of the concept can cause confusion about its origin. The United States version is called Shark Tank, and Canada and Australia have also produced related adaptations. Those countries helped make the format internationally familiar, but they did not create the original programme. Japan is the precise answer because the British show is an adaptation of the Japanese concept, not an entirely original BBC invention.