Showing 1–24 of 246
Stories
InsightAnime: history, entertainment, and cultural export
Japanese people don’t regard those who watch animation as nerdy or otaku, even though it carries that stigma abroad—it is quite common to find an entire family watching the same anime in evening primetime. In this article we explore the features and the history of Japanese animation, and how it became one of Japan’s most recognized cultural exports.
·Ryoko Motohata#Unboxing Japan.#Culture.#Entertainment
InsightJapan Mobility Bizweek 2026: Beyond Autonomous Driving
Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2026 brought together mobility companies, startups, and cross-industry partners to create new value and drive innovation for the future of mobility and society. Ryoko Motohata brings us the full report.
·Ryoko Motohata#Mobility.#DeepTech.#AI.#Ecosystem
InsightRedefining luxury: three startups repricing Japanese culture
There's a real gap between how much value people outside Japan place on these products and experiences, and how that value actually gets priced and presented by the companies selling them. Meet three startups seeking to redress that.
·Anne Mimuro#Ecosystem.#Food.#Tourism
InsightCan Japan win in physical AI?
With Japan's physical AI scene heating up over the last few months, we take a deep dive into the local ecosystem surrounding this new fusion of robotics and AI.
·Anne Mimuro#AI.#Robotics.#Ecosystem
InsightMUSVI: how to change global communication
Mr. Sakai of MUSVI talks us through their product Mado, an window to the world. From its inception on his application to Sony to now, he talks about how communication can be used to increase the depth of communication, rather than just facilitating it.
·Ryoko Motohata#Telecommunications.#DeepTech
InsightPitching Stars – Global Startup Night event report
iCONM in collaboration with BioLabs hosted Pitching Stars – Global Startup Night at TECH HUB YOKOHAMA. The event convened over 100 global participants, including biotech founders, investors, pharmaceutical executives, and life science leaders as part of BioJapan 2026.
·Blackbox Contributor#Event Report.#Events.#Medical.#biotech
InsightPhysical AI Node Salon #1 event report: building machines in a fragmenting world
Tokyo has plenty of robotics events, but until now it has had no regular English-language home for the people actually building physical AI. CIC Tokyo is trying to change that with Physical AI Node Salon, a four-part evening series running from October to February. The first session took place on Thursday, October 15 on the 15th floor of Toranomon Hills Business Tower.
·Anne Mimuro#Event Report.#Events.#AI.#Robotics
InsightAgrivoltaics: a billion-euro market has been created, but start-ups are struggling
Two gigawatts funded by the PNRR, 650 projects in the first concession agreement: developers, funds and energy companies stand to benefit. Find out more in this guest article from Startupbusiness.it
·Blackbox Contributor#Agriculture.#Energy.#Ecosystem
InsightWhy Japan's Gacha Machines Keep Selling: A Marketing Breakdown of a ¥196 Billion Market
Capsule toys costing a few hundred yen have become one of the fastest-growing consumer categories in Japan. At a time when inflation has made shoppers cautious, why do toys whose contents you can't even see keep selling, even as prices rise?
·Anne Mimuro#Ecosystem.#Market Insight
InsightTokyo Game Show 2026: Turning 30, and Companies Outside Gaming Are Taking the Stage
Blackbox goes to the Tokyo Game Show 2026, to see what developments are brewing in one of the world's premier gaming events.
·Keito Okabe#Event Report.#Events.#Game/E-sports.#Ecosystem
InsightConnecting Japan and Ukraine Through Technology, Talent, and Business
Blackbox attended an event reporting on People Cloud and MUSVI’s visits to Ukraine, to report on the cross-border activities occurring as a result of the conflict there.
·Ryoko Motohata#Ecosystem.#Medical.#Robotics
InsightInside Japan's Agritech Boom: The Startups Transforming Farming
From crop-spraying robots to AI-run pig farms and vertical strawberry farms, Japan's agritech startups are reshaping farming. Here are the success stories, the opportunities and the challenges.
·Blackbox Contributor#Agriculture.#DeepTech.#Robotics.#AI
InsightWhy Japan's Best and Brightest All Want the Same Job
Staff Writer Anne Mimuro brings us a refreshingly honest take on Japan's recruitment culture, based off her recent firsthand experience (congratulations, Anne!)
·Anne Mimuro#Culture.#Ecosystem
InsightCES 2026: humanoid robots, AI agents, and deep tech
Media partner Startupbusiness.it brings us their report from CES 2026 in Las Vegas, where JETRO also arranged a significant Japanese presence.
·Blackbox Contributor#Event Report.#DeepTech.#AI.#Robotics
InterviewEric Haywood: Why Global Investors Are Looking at Japan
Boston-based investor Eric Haywood shares his perspective on Japan’s evolving startup ecosystem and why global investors are increasingly recognizing its untapped technological potential.
·Ryoko Motohata#International.#VC.#Funding
InsightJapan is moving into Southeast Asia faster than the West, and most brands haven’t noticed yet
Japanese brands are expanding across Southeast Asia as rising consumer demand shifts investment beyond manufacturing and into local markets.
·Blackbox Contributor#Ecosystem
InterviewTakashi Miki, CEO of Solid Surface: the focus is not on robots, but on ‘operation’
We are increasingly seeing food-serving and cleaning robots on our streets. However, it is still difficult to say that robots have become widely established in our work and daily lives. Takashi Miki, CEO of Solid Surface, believes the reason for this lies not in the performance of the robots themselves, but in the ‘operations’ required to ensure they continue to be used effectively on site. Solid State does not manufacture the robots themselves: instead, it provides an operational platform that connects multiple robots from different manufacturers with people, building infrastructure and the cloud, enabling them to operate in a way that suits the specific site. We spoke to Mr Miki at the company’s Haneda Innovation City office.
·Taiki Iwasaki#AI.#Robotics
InsightHigh Density, High Stakes: AI Expo Japan 2026 and the Frontier of Physical AI
AI Expo Japan 2026 showcased a clear divide between today’s enterprise AI and tomorrow’s Physical AI, offering a glimpse into how Japanese companies are approaching robotics through data, edge computing, reliability, and safety.
·Anne Mimuro#AI.#SaaS.#Ecosystem.#Event Report
InsightCoworking Spaces: Tokyo, part 3
Explore three stylish coworking spaces in Shibuya—WeWork Iceberg, Creative Lounge MOV, and .andwork—as the final stop in this Tokyo series, highlighting their unique designs, international communities, creative atmospheres, and flexible workspaces.
·Ryoko Motohata#Ecosystem
InsightAnimals and Japan part 3: breeders and horses in Japan
A series exploring domestic animals in Japan, covering everything from Japan’s unique pet culture and market to the latest technology. In part 1 we had an overview of the laws regarding pets, and part 2 explored the pet-tech landscape. No, in the final installment, we will look at breeders and how Japanese horse racing is quietly becoming a cultural export.
·Tatsuya Yajima#Market Insight
InsightPitchbook: the mid-2026 ranking of VC startup ecosystems
The United States continues to top the global rankings, but China is closing in rapidly and Europe is making its mark with a few surprises.
·Blackbox Contributor#Ecosystem.#VC.#Entrepreneurship
InsightAnimals and Japan part 2: pet-tech
A series exploring domestic animals in Japan, covering everything from Japan’s unique pet culture and market to the latest technology. In part 1 we have an overview of the laws regarding pets. Part 2 explores the trends, technologies, and companies shaping Japan’s evolving pet-tech landscape.
·Tatsuya Yajima#Market Insight
InsightAnimals and Japan part 1: pets
A series exploring domestic animals in Japan, covering everything from Japan’s unique pet culture and market to the latest technology. In part 1 we have an overview of the laws regarding pets.
·Tatsuya Yajima#Market Insight
InsightWhat foreign founders must know about Japan’s data privacy rules
In this guest article from JETRO, our guest authors explain why foreign startups aiming to enter Japan must understand Japan's legal requirements before offering products or services in the Japanese market. This article focuses on APPI, an area of particular relevance to overseas startups such as SaaS providers, and highlights key differences between APPI and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”).
·Blackbox Contributor#Ecosystem.#Technology.#Unboxing Japan