#Innovation

Innovating Disaster Prevention AI Technology to Protect Urban Infrastructure's Future - Korean Entrepreneur Jongduk Aaron Park of Soteria8 Co. Ltd.

As climate change increases disaster risks, addressing aging urban infrastructure has become an urgent challenge. Leading this challenge is Mr. Park Jongduk, CEO of a disaster prevention AI company based in Hamamatsu City.

Hiroshima: contributing to peace and the environment

My interest in the themes of war and peace began during a school trip to Nagasaki. As a young student, visiting the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum left an indelible mark on my mind.

Hiroshima: supporting future business in the shadow of the atomic bomb

Hiroshima Prefecture is located in the Chugoku region on the western side of Honshu, the main island of Japan, and has prospered as a checkpoint connecting the north and south of the country. Hiroshima City, which is the location of the prefectural government, has a unique history.

Hokkaido University startup Letara pioneers new solid rocket engine

"Towards Safe Maritime Navigation: Making Autonomous Navigation the Global Standard" Yujin Kimura, Eight Knot

Fascinated by his beloved sea, Kimura founded his company after a "terrible" first sailing experience. We spoke with him about his challenges in developing the autonomous navigation platform "Eight Knot AI CAPTAIN" to make maritime navigation safer worldwide, how he overcame those obstacles, and his message for future entrepreneurs.

Young artisans pioneering the future of ceramics

Nagoya's Vision for a Manufacturing-led Startup Future - Toshio Sumi (City of Nagoya)

Nagoya, Japan's manufacturing heartland, is building a new startup ecosystem. We interviewed Toshio Sumi, the first director of the Startup Support Division established five years ago, about initiatives to foster regional innovation.

Passion for Problem-Solving Leads the Way to Next-Generation Heat Dissipation Materials - Kenji Nishitani, CEO of U-MAP

As heat dissipation in electronic devices becomes an increasingly critical issue with the proliferation of data centers, EVs, and AI, we spoke with Kenji Nishitani, CEO of U-MAP, about his entrepreneurial journey, the company's unique materials technology, and his vision for the future of Japanese manufacturing.

Nagoya: where the start-up era meets innovation and craftsmanship

Nagoya is the capital of Aichi Prefecture, which lies right in the center of Japan’s main island of Honshu. Aichi Prefecture is an economic powerhouse, second only to Tokyo in terms of GDP and per capita income, and is the host to a nascent start-up boom.

Creating a New Economic Zone from Small Business Hubs — The Potential of Community-Based Town Development in Omura, Nagasaki

Naruhiro Nagao works on regional revitalization through the operation of coworking spaces. This article explores the possibilities of a new business model originating from regional Japan, breaking away from the Tokyo-centric development.

SkyDrive receives order for 50 flying cars

From Tsukuba to the World's Premier Science City, Mr. Otsuka, Tsukuba Center Inc.

In Tsukuba, a city of 250,000 residents known as one of the world's leading research and development hubs, 29 national research institutions operate alongside 20,000 researchers.

Kitakyushu: the city of steel

Kitakyushu is the second most populous city in the Kyushu region. Formerly known as the Kitakyushu Industrial Zone, one of four major industrial zones in Japan, Kitakyushu was famous for its steel industry thanks to the Imperial Steel Works, the second steel mill built in Japan and the largest in the country for some time after its construction in 1896.

A New Choice for Weddings - Satoshi Murata, CEO of ParaLux

"Making weddings more free and expressive of who couples are."We spoke with founder Murata about the challenges in the wedding industry, his innovative approach, and his vision for the future.

Startup Ecosystem in Fukuoka

Fukuoka is emerging as one of Japan’s top startup cities, offering strong support for foreign entrepreneurs, affordable living, and a vibrant business ecosystem. With startup visas, incubators, and global connectivity, it’s an ideal base for innovation and growth.

Fukuoka: A city connected to the world

Japan is a distinctively shaped nation; a gracefully curving archipelago that is considerably longer than it is wide. As a result, its major cities form a chain along the length of the country, connected by highways and the tracks of the famous shinkansen bullet train. Fukuoka City is the westernmost of these metropolises, located on the island of Kyushu.

Supporting International Startup Expansion - Mr. Ono from Fukuoka Growth Next Global Business Support

At Fukuoka's startup support facility "Fukuoka Growth Next," the Global Business Support (GBS) team works towards attracting international startups and helping local startups expand overseas. We spoke with Mr. Ono, who serves as a startup support concierge while being an entrepreneur himself, about Fukuoka City's startup support ecosystem.

The Greenest City, Sendai

We turn our attention to one of Japan's most historically beautiful cities; Sendai, the capital of Miyagi Prefecture.

Hokkaido Innovation Week 2025

Open to ambition. Open to failure. Open to you.

University support for startups

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has been implementing various measures to support the creation and growth of university-based startups.

ILS2024

Asia's Largest Open Innovation Conference

JAPAN INNOVATION WEEK

“JAPAN INNOVATION WEEK” where investors and startup ecosystem builders from around the world gather

Japan Summit 2024

Experience the future of global innovation

Hitachi Social Innovation Forum 2024 JAPAN

Let's talk about the future. Let’s move forward together. Aiming for a good society.