Heiwa Real Estate to Open FinGATE SAPPORO in IKEUCHI LAB as a Hub for Global Financial Professionals
Heiwa Real Estate will open FinGATE SAPPORO in IKEUCHI LAB, the first FinGATE facility in Sapporo, on Monday, October 20, 2025. At FinGATE SAPPORO in IKEUCHI LAB, Heiwa Real Estate will draw on the financial hub operational experience and knowhow it has cultivated since 2017 in the Nihonbashi Kabutocho and Kayabacho district of Tokyo to attract global financial companies to Hokkaido and Sapporo. The hub will also help Japan’s financial services industry become more diverse and sophisticated by strengthening the exchange of “People, Information, and Capital” between Tokyo and Sapporo.
About the opening of the FinGATE Sapporo hub
Since 2017, Heiwa Real Estate has been operating a number of FinGATE service offices in the Kabutocho and Kayabacho district, enticing independent asset management companies, fintechs, and other startups. As well as providing office environments, the FinGATE facilities offer a wide range of support services tailored to the growth stage of each tenant company. FinGATE creates opportunities for information sharing, fosters professional exchange through business matchmaking, and helps startups bring in middle- and back-office services. Today, FinGATE is a hub for over 100 domestic and international companies that include a diverse line up of financial services players.
In recent years, the Japanese government has been working to reform Japan’s asset management sector and asset ownership and implement various other measures in order to realize the policy of promoting Japan as leading asset management center. One of the specific measures is described in the proposed Policy Package to Achieve Special Zones for Financial and Asset Management Businesses. The government aims to concentrate financial and asset management businesses in special zones by improving the business and living environment, and to attract domestic and foreign investment funds and generate growth for regional commerce and industries.
Under this policy, in June 2024, Hokkaido and Sapporo were designated as a Special Zone for Financial and Asset Management Businesses, as were Tokyo, Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, Fukuoka Prefecture and Fukuoka City. The government is stepping up efforts aimed at promoting Hokkaido and Sapporo as a Special Zone for GX industries and a stronger hub for financial functions.
Recognizing Sapporo’s potential as a new financial center under this policy package, Heiwa Real Estate will open the FinGATE SAPPORO in IKEUCHI LAB facility. Moving forward, Heiwa Real Estate will use the operation of FinGATE facilities in Sapporo and Tokyo as a platform to strengthen the exchange of “People, Information, and Capital” and contribute to greater diversity and sophistication in Japan’s financial services industry.
Heiwa Real Estate has also identified “Expand redevelopment business: Deploy Bazukuri (e.g., construction of buildings, creation of community and opportunities) endeavors that draw people in throughout Japan” as one of the growth strategies in its long-term vision WAY 2040. Heiwa Real Estate's current goal is to create a new vibrancy and appeal to cities. In central Sapporo, it is advancing development of the Odori-nishi 4 South, Type 1 District Redevelopment Project and the Sapporo Station South Exit, North 4 West 3, Type 1 District Redevelopment Project. Through these Sapporo redevelopment projects, Heiwa Real Estate is planning to create international-standard facilities, such as high-performance offices and luxury hotels, that will help enhance Sapporo’s global competitiveness.
The October opening of FinGATE SAPPORO in IKEUCHI LAB will mark the first step in the expansion of the FinGATE service offering to Sapporo. Heiwa Real Estate is working to combine these programs with its other Sapporo redevelopment projects to help make the city a more competitive financial center.
Initiatives at FinGATE SAPPORO in IKEUCHI LAB
At FinGATE SAPPORO in IKEUCHI LAB, Heiwa Real Estate will carry out the following initiatives in collaboration with the Tokyo FinGATE office.
- Provide a hub where global financial professionals at various business growth stages can meet
- Attract financial services companies to Sapporo from other areas and from overseas
- Create business opportunities by facilitating exchanges between Sapporo and Tokyo
- Support the development and growth of human resources in financial services
- Provide support for the establishment and growth of financial startups
- Facilitate information sharing relevant to financial services and startups
- Provide opportunities for people to hear directly from experienced entrepreneurs in the finance industry
Through these initiatives, Heiwa Real Estate will help build networks between financial professionals and global players that can lead to fundraising and business partnership opportunities. Heiwa Real Estate will also provide wide-ranging support tailored to the growth stage of tenant companies, including development of human resources, access to the latest information, and learning through dialogue with industry professionals.
Norbert Gehrke
