Showing 25–48 of 246
Stories
InsightWhy global investors are looking to Kyoto's deeptech rise
Tokyo remains, without question, Japan's largest startup city. But in tech fields that require years, sometimes decades, of sustained research and development, Kyoto has developed a distinct and increasingly visible edge. Add in a creative industry built on gaming and traditional performing arts, and a city long associated with names like Nintendo and Omron starts to look less like a historical curiosity and more like a serious technology hub.
·Keito Okabe#DeepTech.#Market Insight.#Ecosystem
InterviewHana Himura, CEO of OTO: spreading Japanese traditional crafts to the world
How is one startup building the bridge between centuries-old Japanese master artisans and the global marketplace? In this interview, we sit down with Hana, founder and CEO of OTO, to go in-depth on how she is scaling traditional Japanese craftsmanship globally. From navigating complex supplier relationships with rural artisans to building a modern B2B platform for international buyers, Hana breaks down what it takes to turn cultural heritage into a sustainable global business.
·Nalini Biniam#Interview.#Founder Story
InsightOIST: Building a Science and Innovation Hub in Okinawa
JETRO reports on the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), a pioneering graduate university in Japan that brings together researchers from around the world in an interdisciplinary environment designed to advance science and technology. Founded by the Japanese government, OIST was established not only to contribute to science and technology worldwide but also to help catalyze technology transfer, industrial innovation, and economic development in Okinawa.
·Blackbox Contributor#Ecosystem.#Accelerator
InsightJapan Fintech Week 2026: What FINOPITCH Reveals About Japan’s Fintech Shift
Inside the historic Kanze Noh Theater in Tokyo, FINOPITCH 2026 unfolded in quiet intensity. On a stage known for slow, deliberate movement and layered meaning, startups from Japan and abroad stepped forward one by one, presenting their technologies and services. JETRO guest reports.
·Blackbox Contributor#Finance.#Ecosystem.#Fintech.#Events
InsightCoworking Spaces: Tokyo, Part 2
In part two of our deep dive into Tokyo’s coworking scene we review three more coworking spaces—positive and negative—to help you find the perfect place for you.
·Ryoko Motohata#co-working.#digital nomads.#Incubation
InsightIVS2026 event report: Japan is Back
“Japan is Back” was the theme of IVS2026, and in Kyoto, it felt like a signal. Over three days, more than 13,000 founders, investors, students, policymakers, and community builders came together for Japan’s largest startup conference. The size was impressive, but the structure behind it stood out more.
·Rob Chapman#Event Report.#Ecosystem.#DeepTech
InsightDigital Space Conference 2026: How Technology Operates on Infrastructure That Never Stops Moving
JETRO guest authors an event report for their visit to the Digital Space Conference 2026.
·Blackbox Contributor#Event Report.#Ecosystem.#DX
InsightWhen robots come home: reinventing domestic life & housekeeping with Physical AI
Japan has introduced numerous policies to combat its declining birthrate including childcare subsidies, expanded daycare capacity, and financial support for families. Yet fertility continues to fall, reaching a record-low total fertility rate of 1.20 in 2023. The reason may be simpler than economics: many couples just don’t feel they have the time or energy to raise another child. Is Physical AI the answer?
·Keito Okabe#AI.#Lifestlye
InsightContent Tokyo event report: where art meets tech
This year’s Content Tokyo took place from June 17th to June 19th at Tokyo Big Sight, bringing together the worlds of art & graphic design with a slew of technologies such as AR/VR and blockchain. Read about some of the highlights of our visit!
·Nalini Biniam#Event Report.#Events.#Art.#Ecosystem
InsightWhat AI and data startups must know before betting on Japan
Guest writer Masaru Ikeda brings us an overview of the Japanese AI startup ecosystem courtesy of JETRO.
·Blackbox Contributor#AI.#Ecosystem
InsightHow Physical AI is transforming elder care in the world's most aged society
At first glance, the phrase “Japan and Physical AI” may sound somewhat paradoxical, since Japan is often ranked among the slowest adopters of AI technologies among advanced economies. Whether in generative AI utilization or software-based AI development, the country is frequently portrayed as having fallen behind the digital transformation wave. How, then, could Japan emerge as a leader in Physical AI?
·Keito Okabe#AI.#Medical
InsightTIB CATAPULT Spotlight: How MoRo Is Accelerating Real-World Adoption of Mobility and Robotics Technologies
MoRo is an industry cluster focused on next-generation mobility and robotics, operating under Tokyo's TIB CATAPULT startup support program. Led by DMM and supported by a diverse network of corporate and institutional partners including Haneda Future Development, MoRo is designed to support startups throughout the entire commercialization journey, from technology development and field testing to initial deployment and international expansion.
·Rob Chapman#Accelerator.#Robotics.#DeepTech
InsightTokyo's 5G frontier: how the Japanese capital is building the infrastructure for next-gen tech
5G rarely gets the attention of AI or climate tech, but it may be the most consequential infrastructure investment of the decade. This article explores Tokyo's strategy for the sector and introduces the startups turning high-speed, low-latency connectivity into real businesses.
·Rob Chapman#5g.#Market Insight.#Telecommunications.#Robotics
InterviewBuilding Bridges Between Culture and Technology: Sara Doolotbekova of BeART World JAPAN
JETRO interviews Sara Doolotbekova, co-founder of BeART World JAPAN, on her founder's journey via the Startup Visa program in Hokkaido.
·Blackbox Contributor#Interview.#Founder Story
InsightA practical guide to Japanese networking for overseas entrepreneurs
If you plan to build and grow your business in Japan for the mid-long term, learning Japanese will definitely help you work here, as it helps you move faster and build trust. In the startup scene especially, being able to explain your product in Japanese and building friendly relationships are the first steps to diving into the community and earning trust.
·Tatsuya Yajima#Ecosystem.#Networking
InsightWearable tech and Japan
This article explores the evolution of Japan's wearable technology market from this perspective and develops the idea that conceptual fashion is a core requirement for the next stage of growth.
·Tatsuya Yajima#Jewelry.#Technology.#Market Insight
InsightThe dating app market in Japan
As the global dating app market enters a mature phase and interest in AI advancements and the Singularity grows, columnist Tatsuya Yajima finds himself wondering where the “next-generation dating service” will emerge.
·Tatsuya Yajima#AI.#Ecosystem.#Lifestlye.#Unboxing Japan
InterviewChristian Park from UNCHAIN: securing the soul of AI through the "Doraemon" philosophy
We sit down with wunderkind Christian Park, youngest selectee for Softbank’s Masayoshi Son’s successor program and 20-year-old founder of UNCHAIN, to find out about his company, his views on entrepreneurship, and what a blue cartoon cat has to do with AI in Japan.
·Anne Mimuro#AI.#Founder Story.#Interview
InterviewSebastien Hebert on Building in Japan: What Slows You Down—and What Moves You Forward
Four years ago, Sebastien Hebert decided to build his company in rural Japan. That decision has meant going back to language school at 40, navigating regional startup visa rules, searching for office space in a small coastal town, and restarting operations after an earthquake. JETRO sat down with him to go over the hows and whys.
·Blackbox Contributor#AI.#Founder Story.#Interview
InsightJapan Meets Singapore: Two Startup Ecosystems Find Common Ground
The event Japan Meets Singapore brought together members of the startup communities from both countries for a night of ecosystem insights, founder pitches, and networking. More than just a social gathering, the event highlighted the growing momentum behind cross-border collaboration between two of Asia’s most strategically positioned innovation hubs.
·Blackbox Contributor#Event Report.#InternationalExchange.#Ecosystem
InsightEvent Report : Takeoff Tokyo 2026
In the South Halls of Tokyo Big Sight on 31st March and 1st April 2026, TAKEOFF TOKYO battened down the hatches as a spring storm raged outside.
·Anne Mimuro#Event Report.#Events.#Ecosystem.#Startup Pitch
InsightJapan made its business visa six times harder to get—and that's only half the story
The Business Manager Visa overhaul of October 2025 is the most dramatic immigration shift Japan has made in a decade. Here's what it means for foreign founders, and why the real story is more complicated than a simple crackdown.
·Hikaru Nagashima#Ecosystem.#Foreigner Support.#Information
InsightWomen’s Health Beyond 2026
At the Women’s Health Beyond 2026 conference held in Marunouchi, Tokyo, the discussion made one thing clear: women’s health is no longer being framed as a social issue. It is being treated as economic infrastructure. JETRO brings us their event report.
·Blackbox Contributor#Event Report.#Events.#Femtech
InterviewInterview with Bjorn Heiberg of TOWER KNIVES: from negative trust to lasting loyalty
Bjorn Heiberg, who runs the knife specialty shop TOWER KNIVES, is frequently portrayed in the media as “the foreigner saving Japan’s artisan culture.” But what he himself describes is far grittier, the story of an intensely rational businessperson.
·Anne Mimuro#Founder Story.#Interview