IFB trip to Japan Fintech Week

The narrative about Japan has always been that it is closed to foreigners. Our experience at Japan Fintech Week 2025 revealed that this perception is outdated. Japan is a country not merely open to international innovation, but actively cultivating it.

Ambitious Goals: Japan’s Bid to Become Asia’s Startup Hub by 2027

The Japanese government has set a bold goal with a target of 100,000 startups and 100 unicorns by 2027. To establish Asia’s largest startup hub is not aspirational rhetoric. It is an ambitious vision underpinned by structured initiatives, particularly in technology and AI driven business.

From the GFTN Forum and FIN/SUM Fintech Summit to roundtables hosted by the Fintech Association of Japan we had the opportunity to engage both policymakers and practitioners. Conversations with representatives from the Financial Services Agency and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry reinforced a consistent message: Japan is deliberately and strategically reforming framework to attract foreign expertise and investment. The approach reflects ambition and pragmatism.

How Japan is Building a Thriving Fintech Ecosystem for Foreign Entrants

Government policy is increasingly implemented in the startup ecosystem with specialised incubators to nurture foreign entrepreneurs, visa programs that target tech talent and investors ready to support in the next unicorn. These are not abstract policies but mechanisms designed to foster the startup environment.

What distinguishes Japan’s approach is its philosophy of structured openness – welcoming innovation while safeguarding consumers and the integrity and soundness of the financial services industry. It provides clear pathways for foreign fintechs, balancing accessibility with oversight. This duality, far from being a constraint, is an invitation to engage with Japan’s regulatory framework in a way that rewards longterm commitment.

Japan offers immense possibilities for companies willing to maneuver through the frameworks. It is within this context that we aim to leverage our expertise in cross-border financial services activities by aligning with local regulation, we can bridge critical gaps in international finance. The insight from our Tokyo experience is very clear: Japan’s fintech landscape is not closed. It is structured, deliberate, and open to those willing to understand and respect its distinctly different approach to innovation and stability.