Economics
The Cabinet Secretariat hosted the "Second Meeting of the Vice Ministers and Other Officials on Regional Future Strategies" in March, a further step towards the publication of the "industry cluster plans" expected during June. This "Strong Economy" initiative is moving Japan from conceptual regional
capital markets
The Japanese ETF market ended a grueling three-quarter streak of net outflows with a commanding recovery. Total net inflows surged past the ¥1 trillion threshold, lifting total assets under management (AUM) to ¥116 trillion—a notable jump from the ¥112 trillion recorded at the end of 2025. This resurgence is
banking
SMBC Group flooded us with announcements to modernize and diversify its global business operations last week. These include: * The launch of SMBC Connect, a specialized brand designed to provide seamless, high-tech transaction banking services on a global scale. * The establishment of the Next-Generation Agribusiness Council to address food security and
policy
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) have published an update to their "Carve-Out Practice Guidance Handbook", originally released in 2024. The handbook serves as a strategic manual for executing entrepreneur-led carve-outs in Japan and is divided
private equity
The fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, represents a period of change in the five-decade history of JAFCO Group, characterized by a fundamental restructuring of its corporate identity, geographic focus, and financial architecture. As the firm navigates a period of profound transition, the results disclosed on April 24, 2026, illuminate
capital markets
Nomura has delivered a robust set of financial results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, marking a critical step in the firm’s long-term transformation under President and Group CEO Kentaro Okuda. In a period characterized by sharp global market volatility, Nomura has managed to scale its top-line
Economics
The Small and Medium Enterprise Agency has published the report of the "Study Group on the Ideal Form of Startup Policies for Sustainable Regional Growth", which has been meeting since December 2025 to discuss the future direction of policies. The report examines the current state of entrepreneurship and
tokenization
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s (TMG) "Digital Securities Market Expansion Promotion" project provides a window for firms to lead the structural shift from "Savings to Investment." As Tokyo aggressively pursues its mandate to become Asia's preeminent innovation and financial hub, this project provides the
venture capital
MeetsMore Inc., a Tokyo-based startup providing cloud-based platforms for the field service and social infrastructure sectors, has secured approximately 3 billion yen in an extended Series B funding round. The transaction, executed via a third-party allotment of new shares, brings the company’s total Series B funding to roughly 7
venture capital
JPYC Inc., the issuer and operator of the Japanese yen-pegged stablecoin "JPYC," has successfully raised 2.8 billion yen in the second close of its Series B funding round. This latest injection brings the total cumulative capital raised in the Series B round to approximately 4.6 billion
cryptocurrency exchange
Credit Saison, a leading Japanese credit card issuer, and Coincheck, a premier domestic cryptocurrency exchange, have entered into a business alliance agreement to lower the barrier to entry for digital asset investment by integrating cryptocurrency services into the daily financial routines of Credit Saison’s extensive cardholder base. The collaboration
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred sixtieth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. This week, we are excited to have new subscribers join us from Rothschild & Co, France's Ministère de l'Intérieur, the Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, the International Islamic University, Islamabad, and the Asian Development