Publication Date

Spring 5-11-2025

Document Type

Senior Integrative Project

Abstract

In 2022, Former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled a “new form of capitalism,” aimed at boosting investment in startups. When people think of major Japanese firms, they often envision corporations like Honda and Sony. However, Kishida highlights that these giants were once startups founded by young entrepreneurs, and emphasized the necessity of cultivating such innovation in Japan today. Furthermore, the introduction of a startup visa in 2015 has made it easier for transnational entrepreneurs to establish businesses in Japan. However, there are significant key issues within the Japanese startup ecosystem that make it difficult for foreign entrepreneurs to launch and sustain their business in Japan–whether it be the lack of assistance for startup ecosystems in prefectures outside of Tokyo, or language and cultural barriers that prevent the globalization of the startup ecosystem This research will investigate the experiences of these transnational entrepreneurs and the implications for the globalization of the Japanese startup ecosystem. This research draws on ethnographic research through an internship with STARTUP HOKKAIDO and qualitative interviews with individuals from the Japanese startup ecosystem. In doing so, this paper examines transnational entrepreneurship in the context of the national push for economic development and factors that hinder the development of the Japanese startup ecosystem.

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The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author.