On December 17th 2024, Tokyo and Aichi Prefecture signed a cooperation agreement with the aim of creating an ‘international innovation city.’ This agreement is expected to further deepen cooperation between the two regions in terms of startup support facilities and economic activities. Both prefectures aim to attract investors and companies from Japan and overseas by via large-scale startup support facilities such as Tokyo Innovation Base and Aichi Prefecture's Station Ai.

Station Ai, in spite of only opening its doors in October last year, has a track record of collaboration, with around 40% of their resident startups being ones that have moved from Tokyo.

By joining forces, Tokyo—Japan's economic center—and Aichi, known as a global manufacturing hub, are expected to develop a more powerful startup ecosystem for Japan as a whole, and improve its international competitiveness. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said, “Japan has the power to create new industrial services, but we still lack global breakthroughs. I want to bring together the strengths of Tokyo and Aichi to create a global trend.”

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