Japan has been at the forefront of technology for more than 50 years, with iconic products such as the Sony Walkman and the Nintendo Switch becoming integral parts of the cultural fabric of the Western world. It now wants to attract the world’s smartest minds to come and collaborate with local, like-minded tech entrepreneurs; this is where the Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB) comes into play.
Launched last November, this is the official platform, backed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, where any foreign startup and solopreneurs wanting to operate in the land of the rising sun can find advice and support, from business to daily life and beyond. TIB is a place where major companies, investors, universities, and government agencies from all over Tokyo gather, allowing you to meet various key people for doing business in Japan.
At the heart of this project is SusHi Tech, an annual startup conference that puts the concept of “Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo” at its core. Its next edition will take place in Tokyo from 8th to 10th May 2025; however, on November 21st, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will host a special Tokyo “SusHi” Night event for startups and investors at Newlab in New York where the Vice Governor of Tokyo will be speaking.
The purpose of the event will be to provide New York investors and ecosystem members with “a deeper understanding of the Japanese startup ecosystem, leading to investment opportunities in Japan, and to convey the appeal of the Japanese market to NY startups, leading to opportunities to enter Japan and collaborate with Japanese companies.”
We’ve listed four reasons why we believe Tokyo is an outstanding place for overseas startups to kickstart their Asian journey.
1. An economic powerhouse
Japan is the second-largest economy in Asia and enjoys a relatively stable macro environment with a high GDP. Tokyo, as its capital and its most populous region, enjoys the benefits of a large market for startups to emerge and thrive. The metropolitan area of Tokyo accounts for around a quarter of the entire population of Japan, at just over 35 million.
2. Business-friendly environment
Japan has developed world-leading infrastructure across telecommunications, transport, and logistics. Tokyo has benefited significantly from this drive. The Japanese government has also introduced various schemes to encourage foreign companies to invest locally. This includes tax incentives, streamlined business registration processes and comprehensive legal protection when it comes to intellectual property rights, one of the most exhaustive across Asia.
3. Innovation by design
Tokyo is home to almost 150 universities that have produced over decades, a highly-skilled, experienced, workforce, transforming Japan into the technological behemoth it is today. Technology companies such as Rakuten, Hitachi, Sony, Fujitsu, NTT Data, Sega and Line Corporation are headquartered there and benefited from this local brain power; smaller companies and Japanese startups can also tap into this talent pool.
4. The Asian advantage
Within a few hours of airplane travel, startups have access to a market of nearly two billion potential customers or users, one of the highest concentrations anywhere in the world. Tokyo is the perfect base for foreign startup companies seeking to expand in Asia, operating on a different timezone and in one of the safest cities in the world.