Japan’s startup ecosystem—especially in deeptech and healthcare—has seen both its share of successes and challenges. At the center of a bold attempt to reshape that landscape stands Dr. Yoshiki Sawa, a pioneer in regenerative medicine and one of the driving forces behind Osaka’s newest life sciences hub, Nakanoshima Qross. Soft-spoken and self-effacing, Dr. Sawa describes himself as “just a small player.” Yet his decades of experience, global exposure, and hard-earned achievements tell a very different story. Through Nakanoshima Qross, he is attempting nothing less than a structural transformation of how Japan brings healthcare innovation to the world.

We sit down with Antti and Kensuske of Takeoff Tokyo to talk about their event, its goals, and the health & future of the Japanese startup scene.

An event report of Creative Tech Shibuya 2026, from one of its organizers. With this year marking the launch of the five-day residency program, we take a look a how events like this can survive in Japan's changing legislative environment.

Building global deeptech from regional Japan

In our third and final installment on Japan's game industry, we dig into the different companies, organizations, and publishers moving to take advantage of the changing business landscape of the game industry.

Waka Someno launched YOUNEEDS to smooth the way for foreign business owners in Japan. We it down to hear about some of the common pitfalls people face.