Startup and New Business Promotion

In order to promote the creation of new businesses and startups and to support the growth of existing new businesses, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) implements various measures including the J-Startup program and the introduction of Startup Visas for promising entrepreneurs. Our goal is to create a thriving ecosystem that will guarantee continuous innovation and the perpetual creation of new value.

Main Policy Measures

• J-Startup
• Startup Visa (Residential Status and Support for Entrepreneurs around the World)
• Regulatory reform system for business units based on the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Act(PDF:341KB)

Startup Development Five-year Plan

The Government of Japan has positioned 2022 as the first year of startup creation and formulated the "Startup Development Five-year Plan" at the end of 2022 with a view to increasing the number of startups tenfold in five years.

• Startup Development Five-year Plan
• Roadmap for the Startup Development Five-Year Plan

Press Releases

• Newly Selected Startups Announced under the Public-Private Initiative for Supporting Startups Called the J-Startup Program (March 13, 2025)
• Winners of the Award for Academic Startups 2024 Program Selected (August 22, 2024)
• Commendation Ceremony Held for the Nippon Startup Awards 2024 (July 22, 2024)
• Release of the Economic Ripple Effects of Startups Survey Summary (July 22, 2024)
• Report Compiled on Results of FY2023 Survey on University-Developed Venture Businesses (Preliminary Report) (May 15, 2024)
• Guidance for Putting Entrepreneur-Led Carve-Outs into Practice Compiled as Effort for Encouraging Business Companies to Produce Startups (April 26, 2024)
• J-Startup Impact Launched as Public-Private Program for Supporting the Growth of Impact Startups (October 6, 2023)
• Winners of the Award for Academic Startups 2023 Program Selected (August 8, 2023)
• Commendation Ceremony Held for the Nippon Startup Awards 2023 (June 9, 2023)
• Report Compiled on Results of FY2022 Survey on University-Developed Venture Businesses (Preliminary Report) (May 16, 2023)
• Decision on Support for Four New Temporary-Secondment Start-Ups (July 22, 2022)
• Award Ceremony Held for the Nippon Startup Awards 2022 (June 2, 2022)
• Report Compiled on Results of the Survey on University-Developed Venture Businesses (May 17, 2022)

Division in Charge

Innovation and Startup Promotion Division, Innovation and Environment Policy Bureau