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[Executive Interview #01] Advisor Ichiro Fujisaki (Former Japanese Ambassador to the United States) – Part 2

  • Interview
2024.10.16

Our President and CEO Kazuhiro Goto interviewed Ichiro Fujisaki, who is a former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the United States. Advisor Fujisaki was appointed as an advisor to D-POPS GROUP in April 2023 to help realize a Venture Ecosystem.

This article is based on the latter part of the interview.
You can view Advisor Fujisaki’s profile here:
https://d-pops-group.co.jp/en/company/board-member/

Read the first part of the interview here.

Goto:
Now, for the next question: you have experience serving as an outside director at major Japanese corporations like Nippon Steel and Itochu. How did working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs feel different from working in the private sector? Were there any similarities?

Fujisaki:
One major difference I felt between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and large corporations was that when making decisions at the Ministry, we always had to consider how things would look to someone from the outside—in other words, accountability. I felt this was different in the private sector.

In a government office, you are constantly exposed to the media and the National Diet. Even the smallest mistake requires a public announcement. For example, if a tax office somewhere loses 300,000 yen and doesn’t report it, it would turn into a huge scandal, and they’d be accused of trying to cover it up. It’s the same with the police.

On the other hand, if a company loses 300,000 yen but finds it right away, they simply remind employees to be more careful next time. Ultimately, it’s something that can be controlled by the company’s management.

I feel like in the government, we spend too much energy on this kind of thing.

Another difference is that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was a much flatter organization compared to large corporations. Even younger employees were allowed to participate in high-level discussions and voice their opinions. In contrast, corporate hierarchies seem to be much stricter.

Goto:
I think so, too. Most companies in society follow a pyramid structure, so even if a young person works extremely hard or has exceptional ability, it still takes an incredibly long time to get promoted. That’s why I felt we needed to create more companies that offer young people real opportunities, or else there’ll be no future. That was one of the reasons I started my own company.

Fujisaki:
Exactly. That’s really important. Otherwise, young talent will just leave for opportunities overseas.

Goto:
Now, we’ve progressed even more from that point. Initially, we focused on building a company that gives young people opportunities, but now our goals have expanded to increasing the number of entrepreneurs in Japan and spreading a culture of taking on challenges and having a more open-mind. By doing so, we hope young people will have more options—whether it’s choosing where to work, what challenges to take on, or even starting their own business. I believe we need to create a society where entrepreneurship itself is celebrated, and that’s what I’m working hard to achieve.

At this point, Ambassador Fujisaki, I’d like to ask you the following question. Given your experience negotiating with various countries during your time at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with regard to managing the balance of power when dealing with several major global players: in order to firmly maintain and enhance Japan’s presence on the world stage, how do you think Japan should balance its relationships with the United States, the EU, and other major powers such as those in the BRICS group?

Fujisaki:
When I recently spoke with a top executive at a major corporation, he remarked, “In light of the dealings in Ukraine, North Korea, and China over these past 10 years, shouldn’t we set aside our belief in the inherent goodness of people—especially as it relates to democracy and peace—and instead operate on the assumption that human nature is essentially bad?” I replied, “No, it’s both at the same time. Our official stance is that humanity is good, but behind the scenes, we always assume the opposite. The core of national security is preparing for the possibility that anyone might do anything.”

Considering that Japan is neighbored by North Korea, Russia, and China, we have no choice but to depend on the United States for our security. However, that does not mean we must adopt the exact same policies as the US. Unlike the US, Japan has consistently maintained good relations with countries such as Cuba, Iran, and Myanmar, and even after the US pulled out, we continued with initiatives like the TPP [Trans-Pacific Partnership] and the Paris Agreement. We’re managing these relationships effectively without being overly vocal about it. The nations in the Global South and BRICS are by no means monolithic, so it’s important for us to build the best possible relationships with India, South Africa, Brazil, and others among them.

When you travel abroad, you often hear that many people hold Japan in high regard and have a positive impression of it. So, I believe that, fundamentally, our current approach is working well.

However, one area that requires caution is India. While India is often seen in a favorable light—partly because China is cast as the villain—it is, in reality, a very shrewd nation. Although I’ve only negotiated with India a few times, it turned out to be the most challenging negotiation partner I’ve ever encountered.

Goto:
In the serial articles you wrote for the Sankei Shimbun newspaper, you mentioned that Japanese people consider their nation to be somewhat unreliable, but at the same time, they think it is wonderful that in the past 70 years since the Great War, Japan has not entered into a single war. After reading that, I also thought, “Indeed, what a great accomplishment that is!”

Well, here is the next question: we often talk about the Lost Thirty Years*. From a global perspective, why do you think Japan has fallen behind in terms of economic growth and development? I think the situation has changed significantly since the publication of American sociologist Ezra F. Vogel’s book Japan as Number One: Lessons for America.

*Note: Japan experienced around 30 years of significant economic stagnation after the asset price bubble burst in 1990, known as “the Lost Decades”.

Fujisaki:
It was never really possible for Japan to become number one in the first place. We are a tiny country with no resources, yet 100 million people live here. With such limited land, we have to import considerable amounts of food and other resources, so becoming number one was never feasible. Since Vogel was my friend, it pains me to say this, but his book was essentially a strategy to boost sales through flattery.

For a country with scarce natural resources like Japan, it is critical not to overreach. I don’t think it was good for us to completely abandon our industrial policies just because the US said so. Instead, we should have created something like Silicon Valley through government and business cooperation.

On the other hand, I don’t think there’s anywhere as clean and comfortable as Japan. In terms of soft power, Japan is such an exceptional country that I refer to it as “A-Ka-Se-Ki-Rei” (initials of the Japanese words for ‘safety’, ‘security’, ‘cleanliness’, ‘discipline’, and ‘manners’).

Although Japan’s declining population is usually seen as concerning, maybe this small country doesn’t really need 100 million people. After all, Japan has one-third of the US population squeezed into an area the size of California, and 80% of Japan is mountainous. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if Japan’s population decreased somewhat.

Having a domestic market such as the old automobile industry is not necessary. Rather, we should have been thinking about creating businesses regardless of the domestic market, like Taiwan’s TSMC or Finland’s Nokia. We should have developed industrial policies with this in mind. I think our nation’s current situation probably stems from our failure to further pursue startups and similar initiatives.

Goto:
For about the past five years or so, there has been quite the sudden, strong push to support startup companies. Both the government and large corporations are finally accelerating their investments in venture capital. It feels like we’re only now seriously pursuing what we should have started 30 years ago.

One last question for you, Ambassador Fujisaki, as someone who worked with various American presidents during your time as Ambassador to the US: among all the American presidents and the state leaders of other countries that you’ve met, who left the deepest impression on you, and why?

Fujisaki:
First, President Bill Clinton had this speaking ability where even in a crowd of 400 people, everyone felt like he was talking directly to them. And what’s remarkable about him is that he was an extraordinary intellectual. He went to Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, a scholarship program that only about 50 top American students per year can use.

However, I heard he hardly attended any classes. But here’s an interesting story I heard: when these 50 brilliant students gathered and discussed who among them would become America’s future leader, many of them said Clinton’s name.

He never really studied, but he was capable of academic excellence. And more than that, I think it was a kind of personal charisma. The fact that a majority of those brilliant students chose Clinton shows his remarkable ability.

Also, in terms of my personal experience, when former Prime Minister Obuchi passed away, I was Director-General of the North American Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At that time, Clinton came for Obuchi’s funeral. After the funeral, there was a reception at the Akasaka State Guest House, and as the Director-General, I was assigned to guide the American president. Since I was leading the way there, Clinton was hardly able to see more of me than my back, and we had minimal conversation.

Four months later, Prime Minister Mori held the Okinawa Summit. Clinton was scheduled to give a speech at the Cornerstone of Peace. Actually, we weren’t sure if he could come because he was involved in Middle East peace negotiations at the time, but in the end, he managed to come and give a speech anyway.

Afterward, people lined up to shake hands with Clinton. I was in the front row, but since I’d have the chance to talk with him again later, I moved to the back so that the local residents could meet him first. Eventually, Clinton got to me, and when he saw my face he immediately said, “Oh hey, you’re here!” Either he had an exceptional memory and was able to remember me from just being his guide in Tokyo four months earlier…or perhaps, given his famous charm, he was calling out to every fourth person or so, ha ha. Either is possible for someone with social graces like his.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama is definitely brilliant, but he seemed to feel the need to emphasize his intellectual capabilities…perhaps as a result of being a black person? Clinton, on the other hand, never displayed his intelligence. This was one difference I noticed about them.

Goto:
Conversely, perhaps it’s because he was already so capable that, as they say, “a wise hawk hides its talons.”

Fujisaki:
Yes, that’s probably it, although he’s also a white person. As for Obama, he’s very stylish, usually appearing with his shirt sleeves rolled up. But in reality, he has an incredibly sharp mind.

Goto:
Thank you very much for making time in your busy schedule today. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and inspiration from talking with you, and I am determined to build a Venture Ecosystem for the future of Japanese society.

 

 

Afterword by Kazuhiro Goto, President and CEO of D-POPS GROUP Co., Ltd.:

I had the distinct privilege of interviewing Mr. Fujisaki, who served in crucial diplomatic roles including Ambassador to the United States as well as the Permanent Mission of Japan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the International Organizations in Geneva. Through this interview, I received countless invaluable insights, experiences, and advice.

I was so excited about the interview that I could hardly contain myself, especially the day before, and the questions I wanted to ask him were even floating through my dreams. He answered all my many questions sincerely, and his responses consistently resonated with principles of corporate management.

Making decisions in the complex world of diplomacy and politics must be incredibly challenging. In business management, too, we’re constantly required to find the most appropriate solutions possible while dealing with the various matters in front of us. The experiences and advice Mr. Fujisaki shared will be valuable not only for myself and current leaders but also for future generations of leaders.

In this interview, there were so many candid statements that we also had to omit quite a bit of content. In fact, the interview itself was about ten times longer than what appears here! Even now, Mr. Fujisaki holds important positions such as President of the America-Japan Society and Advisor (formerly Chairman) to the Nakasone Peace Institute. This was truly a priceless occasion, and I earnestly feel that his knowledge and experience should be passed along to the next generation for the sake of Japan’s future.

In closing, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Fujisaki one last time for giving me this precious opportunity to interview him.

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Fujimoto: Women Will was an initiative that started even before women’s empowerment became a buzzword. The core idea was to use the power of technology to empower women. Startups are inherently places where people use technology to drive change, so there should be immense opportunities for anyone to succeed, regardless of gender or age. While the number of female entrepreneurs and investors has grown steadily over the last decade, the lack of balance remains an issue that’s shared across the world. One specific factor is the bias in fundraising. Female founders are often asked questions that men are not, such as “Do you plan to get married?” or “What about children?” While this could be considered as risk-hedging, we must create an environment where we face the business itself, flatly and without bias. Our association is currently working with the Financial Services Agency (FSA) on a survey regarding the gender gap in the ecosystem. Following the increased attention on harassment issues over the last couple of years, the industry’s sense of crisis is very high. Recognizing that unfair practices are unacceptable is the first step toward improvement. Sugihara: In a single company, you can manage this with rules and KPIs, but changing the culture of an entire ecosystem is a massive challenge. Fujimoto: That is the hardest part. Since an ecosystem isn’t managed by one single person, it’s not enough to just chase a quota like “30% women”. We have to ensure true diversity where more people have access to opportunities. Lately, more event organizers are paying attention to the balance of gender, age, and nationality among speakers. This is a great first step. The supporters of international accelerator programs are now being held strictly accountable for the diversity of their cohorts. I hope to see this approach take root in Japan as well. Sugihara: In the past, female entrepreneurs were often “invisible” unless you were intentionally trying to find them. Fujimoto: Exactly. However, from an innovation standpoint, the data is clear: diverse teams grow significantly faster. There was once an unwritten rule in Japan that a homogeneous team with shared values could move faster in the early stages. Recent studies have debunked this. If you don’t build a diverse organization from the very beginning, you won’t be able to scale the company later. Success in scaling up depends entirely on the organizational environment. It’s no longer just a binary of male vs. female. Broad diversity, including nationality, is an essential element for Japanese startups to leap forward. Sugihara: That is a vital perspective. I’ve seen research showing that companies with diverse public relations and branding are more highly valued. Fujimoto: Our gender gap survey showed something interesting: while women feel they are at a disadvantage, men also expressed feeling a sense of suffocation or an inability to speak their minds in the current culture. It’s not about one side or the other being bad. It’s about mutual understanding. When I think back on our time at Google, we were told not to assume that we fully understood the other person. We made sure never to operate under any kind of unspoken understanding, and we communicated clearly through dialogue to move things forward correctly. In Japan, we often proceed with the assumption that others know what we need, and when things go wrong, we get frustrated. We need to move toward a culture where we communicate under the premise that we don’t automatically understand each other. ◆Japan’s Future Strength: Turning Technology into Business and Communicating It Sugihara: Indeed, it is precisely because a diverse range of personalities come together that we can create exceptional services that reach a global audience. On that note, I’d like to ask a final question about the future. From the perspective of entrepreneurship and new business development, which domains do you believe will hold the key to Japan’s growth moving forward? Fujimoto: I’ve traveled the world, and thought about what Japan’s future strength will be. At this point, I am convinced the answer lies in “deep tech”. Japan’s R&D, technical capabilities, and ideas are world-class. However, our ability to turn that into viable businesses hasn’t caught up. Japan’s big opportunity lies in bridging that gap. A supporter in South Korea once told me: “Japanese people think if they make something good, it will be recognized. But you have to tell people it’s good, or else no one will know its value.” That might be Japanese modesty, but it doesn’t work in startups. If we can strengthen our ability to convey our products and our business acumen, we have enormous potential. The same applies to SaaS. Japanese services tend to stay domestic. But if we can break through the international wall and focus on scaling globally, we have a real chance. Sugihara: To break through that wall, it seems crucial to have a multinational team from the early stages so that launching simultaneously in multiple countries becomes the standard mindset. Fujimoto: I completely agree. In many other countries, that’s already the norm. We must have a sense of urgency—if we spend too much time thinking “Japan first”, we’ll end up falling a full lap behind the rest of the world. I don’t believe every single service has to expand overseas, but there is simply too much you cannot see if you remain closed off within Japan. When a team includes members of diverse nationalities, your speed and perspective naturally shift, and you begin to notice global changes. I feel that this kind of organizational structure will ultimately dictate the growth of Japanese startups moving forward. Sugihara: That’s a very helpful perspective. Moving on to a question about current trends: we often see discussions in the news or in books about specific professions disappearing due to AI. What are your thoughts on this? Fujimoto: The impact of Generative AI is certainly obvious, but if you look back at history, there have always been certain roles jobs that disappeared and new ones that emerged. However, this time, the feeling of being robbed by AI or being replaced by something non-human is particularly strong, which is causing a lot of anxiety. But the most important premise to remember is that everything is always changing. At the same time, isn’t the rise of AI giving us a chance to re-examine what it is that only humans can do? It’s a great time to realize our unique human value and figure out how we want to contribute and what skills we should master. There’s really nothing to fear. It’s much more exciting to think about how to master these tools. Just try using them first! This isn’t just about AI. We need to change our tendency to reject anything new. A mindset of “just try it, and if it doesn’t work, quit” is perfectly fine. The biggest waste of all is to limit your own potential by disliking something without having tried it first. ◆The Essential Quality of a Supporter: Outgrowing the Startups Sugihara: As the social environment shifts and the future is constantly being rewritten, both individuals and startups must adapt to survive. In this context, what is the role of the “scalerator”, a supporter who focuses on scaling up rather than just accelerating the early stage? Fujimoto: Whether you are an incubator or a “scalerator”, the most vital thing is to ensure you are growing faster than anyone else. If the person supporting a startup’s growth isn’t growing themselves, why would a founder want their help? Unfortunately, there are many “supporters” who have never touched a new tech tool or have stopped studying the latest global trends. Being a supporter doesn’t make you superior or omnipotent. As business models and the nature of startups evolve, it is crucial that the supporter evolves at a speed that exceeds the startup itself. If you keep doing the same old thing, you’ll be seen as out of touch, or simply uncool, and startups will leave you behind. We often say that in three years, we’ll likely be talking about something completely different from today. That isn't flip-flopping, it’s positive evolution. To constantly reinvent oneself without fearing change…that is the essential quality of a modern ecosystem supporter. ◆Defining a Startup Ecosystem Sugihara: Finally, could you share your personal definition of a “startup ecosystem”? Fujimoto: By definition, an ecosystem involves the mutual interaction of organic and inorganic elements. Support often feels like a one-way street, from the supporter to the startup, but a true ecosystem requires reciprocity. The startup should be at the center, but they shouldn’t be treated like a guest or a customer. Everyone must act as a stakeholder and a member of the ecosystem. As everyone influences one another, the ecosystem itself grows. The only way to enrich the ecosystem is for every single member to commit to continuous growth. Sugihara: That philosophy aligns perfectly with the vision of D-POPS GROUP. We aim to build a Venture Ecosystem where we aren’t just managing or investing, but growing together as peers. We reinvest the profits from our 25 group companies into the next generation and learn alongside them. Do you see synergy or potential for collaboration here? Fujimoto: I think it’s a fantastic approach. Whether we call them startups or ventures, we are all part of the same foundation of the Japanese ecosystem. The important thing isn’t who is the boss, but the shared attitude of contributing to society through business and developing together. Ideally, this creates a chain of paying it forward, where those who were once supported by the ecosystem eventually become the ones who support it. To be honest, now that government support in Japan has become quite generous, we are seeing cases where people build businesses solely to get subsidies, effectively capping their own potential. This is a massive information loss…a lack of awareness of the speed of the global market. That is why it’s so important for ecosystems to interact and for rich knowledge to spread. When players with a strong philosophy like D-POPS GROUP join hands with us, that contagious mindset becomes the driving force that will truly keep Japan up to date. Interview conducted by D-POPS GROUP’s advisor Genta Sugihara. Startup Ecosystem Association President: Ayumi Fujimoto Address: 15F Toranomon Hills Business Tower, 1-17-1 Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo Established: March 30, 2022 Website: https://startupecosystem.org/home-en
  • Interview
2026.04.07
[Founder Interview #3] Ayumi Fujimoto (Startup Ecosystem Association) – Part 2
From Startup to Scale-up: Mutual Growth and Realization of an Advancing Ecosystem For this article, we interviewed the Startup Ecosystem Association’s President Ayumi Fujimoto, a leader who shares our vision for Japan’s entrepreneurial future. (This interview was conducted in January 2026.) See Part 1 of the interview here. ◆Impact and Diversity: Over 500 Attendees Gather at the “Startup Ecosystem Summit” Sugihara: It’s true that while national and local governments make a big deal about startup support, there are legal complexities that make it difficult for local governments to invest directly in startup equity. However, providing support in the form of recruitment is a very practical workaround. I also find it impressive when financial institutions go beyond just providing capital to actually running alongside startups to assist with sales and business development. Regarding your three courses of action, I’m particularly interested in the second one, eliminating information inequality. Could you share some specific success stories or milestones from your activities overall? Fujimoto: I would say the Startup Ecosystem Summit is our most significant achievement and a prime example of our impact. We have held it for four consecutive years now, and last year, we introduced our first “Global Roundtable”. While many international ecosystem stakeholders were visiting Japan, there were surprisingly few opportunities for them to gather in one room and collaborate, so we created that space for them. Last year, the Summit drew between 500 and 600 participants. Players from every corner of the domestic market mingled together, and I believe that sheer diversity is a tangible manifestation of the ecosystem itself. Sugihara: Just gathering hundreds of people from so many different sectors in a single venue is itself quite a feat. Fujimoto: It really is. I feel like the scope of the event expands every year. We started with about 100 people, mostly just the supporters. From that point, we started to hear feedback like, “Actually, startups should participate too,” “We should exchange information with regional governments,” or “Every single government ministry should attend.” The sense of connectedness is growing, and the diversity increases every year. Our philosophy is that rather than just repeating the same thing, the Summit should be a place where participants can actually experience the growth of the ecosystem. That’s why we aim to challenge ourselves with something different every year. We’re grateful that those who attend can feel that the scale is truly growing and the diversity is deepening. While it’s almost like a kind of class reunion for the industry, our ultimate goal is for it to be a place where you can feel the evolution of the ecosystem and where startups can find every piece of new information they need. One way we are currently expanding our activities is by utilizing the Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB) in Yurakucho, which is supported by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and collaborating with them on the operational side. ◆Overseas Collaboration: Where Supporters Connect on a Global Stage Sugihara: Since the Startup Ecosystem Association is a non-profit, your activities feel very pure and ambition-driven as opposed to being motivated by profit. I also get the impression that your team is incredibly high-caliber, with members coming from prestigious backgrounds like Google. Regarding the previous Startup Ecosystem Summit you held last October, I saw on your website that your association was deeply involved in organizing it together with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Could you tell us more about the global perspective of that event and the reception it received? Fujimoto: Last year’s event was particularly successful in its global focus. While other events hosted by VCs or massive government initiatives like “SusHi Tech Tokyo” attract many international visitors, there are actually surprisingly few opportunities for startup supporters to have deep, substantive conversations with each other. For our event, we invited supporters and people in charge of operating large-scale facilities or acceleration programs from different countries within Asia, the US, Europe, and other places. Hearing directly from them about the current trends among Singapore’s startup supporters or the transitions happening in France was incredibly meaningful. Also, I like trying new things every year, so last year, we introduced the “Triangle Session” format: three speakers and one moderator. We picked specific themes such as legal affairs, accelerators, or entrepreneurship education, and limited the time per session to just 15 minutes, to keep the speakers focused on sharing what initiatives they were undertaking. In previous years, we had larger panels with about ten speakers, but the content often became too broad. Participants told us they wanted to dive deeper into specific niches and hear how three different companies handle the same challenge. When I first proposed a 15-minute limit, neither the speakers nor the Tokyo government officials could imagine achieving anything in such a short window, so they were skeptical. But it turned out to be a massive hit. The goal wasn’t to tell the whole story on stage, but to provide just enough essence to spark a direct conversation or a follow-up later. Creating that spark was the major development of last year’s Summit. Sugihara: That 15-minute format sounds like something that could be applied to many other types of conferences. Fujimoto: Absolutely. I’d love for others to adopt it. Over the past year, our association has been continuously conducting an “Ecosystem Survey”, and we’ve visited roughly 20 countries to study their local scenes. There’s no point in us keeping that knowledge to ourselves. Whether it’s a unique conference format, a workshop style, or a specific program we saw abroad, we want to share those ideas. Even if we don’t implement them ourselves, it’s important that someone else is able to do so. Sugihara: I imagine that it must be intimidating to reach out to a lot of very busy leaders for these events, but is that process usually smooth? Fujimoto: I think this is a testament to what we’ve built over the years. Most people seem to trust that “if the association is doing it, it’s going to be worthwhile”. Rather than saying “Hmm, we’ll think about it”, they usually say “Let’s do it!” almost immediately. I believe this is possible precisely because everyone, including our founding supporters, recognizes the necessity of this activity. I also believe the fact that we operate as a non-profit is a major reason why people are so willing to accept our requests. We aren’t looking to turn this into a profitable business, but acting purely for the sake of the ecosystem. Our hope is that the association’s events serve as a catalyst for what each participant is working on to be shared with the wider world. If this were a request for cooperation coming from a specific private company for their own business interests, I don’t think things would go nearly as smoothly. ◆Global Trend: From Startup to Scale-up Sugihara: I’ve read the association’s reports as well, and I’d love to hear about the major global trends you notice during your travels. Among those, you pointed out a transition from startup support to scale-up support. Is this a shift that is happening right now? Fujimoto: It sure is. Over the last two years, the term ‘scale-up’ has exploded globally. Previously, it was lumped into the general category of startups, but now startups and scale-ups are being treated as two distinct nouns. Currently, many countries are discussing startup policies and scale-up policies separately, as well. Sugihara: Why has it become necessary to differentiate the two? Fujimoto: Take France, for example. They began enacting startup policies about ten years ago and have since seen the emergence of rapidly growing companies called ‘unicorns’. From a government perspective, if you are investing tax dollars to maximize employment and tax revenue, you eventually need to help those companies grow to a certain size. While startup initiatives are about broadening the supporter base, scale-up initiatives are about building higher, aiming for the scale of a company like Google. Because the support required for these two phases is entirely different, they are now being discussed as separate entities. Sugihara: Is this a different nuance from what we typically call “growth” companies in Japan? Fujimoto: The term ‘growth companies’ is used in Japan, but the difference between that and the global definition of scale-up lies in the trajectory of the growth. While growth company often implies linear progression, scale-up refers to non-linear, J-curved growth. Rather than just growing slowly over a long period, it’s the argument that we need to create scale-ups that grow at explosive speeds, right now. Over the past year, to the degree that the terms are different, Japan has begun to realize that building higher carries the same degree of importance. While it hasn’t been fully codified into policy yet, Japan is poised to change by following the examples of leading nations. Actually, in one sense, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government was ahead of the curve here. When they announced their strategy last October, they were already beginning to distinguish between the terms startup and scale-up. ◆How a New Company Was Established: Japan’s Globally Competitive Sense of Speed Sugihara: That’s great! To focus specifically on scale-ups, you recently co-founded a new company called FoundersNation with Mr. Nagura. How is this new company segregated from the Startup Ecosystem Association? Fujimoto: The Startup Ecosystem Association does not provide individual support to specific industries or companies. After all, we’re structured to develop the ecosystem as a whole, and focus on the big picture. However, as we were continuing our work, we were receiving more and more requests for help from individual startups or specific industries. From the association’s standpoint, I had to decline these requests because we must remain neutral, but I constantly felt the dilemma about being unable to act on these specific needs. This sense of urgency became even stronger as the scale-up trend took hold. Laying the soil where an ecosystem can grow takes a very long time. While we can eventually build an ecosystem that produces scale-ups organically, I felt that if we simply waited for that to happen, Japan would lose its competitive edge on the world stage. Right now, the number of players we have in this specific niche is overwhelmingly small, and we don’t have the luxury of time. I decided that we needed a separate, for-profit entity specifically dedicated to supporting scale-ups. That is why we established a new company. ~To be concluded in Part 3~ Interview conducted by D-POPS GROUP’s advisor Genta Sugihara. Startup Ecosystem Association President: Ayumi Fujimoto Address: 15F Toranomon Hills Business Tower, 1-17-1 Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo Established: March 30, 2022 Website: https://startupecosystem.org/home-en In the third and final part of the interview, we discuss: ・The Joy of Creating Something from Zero Learned at Google ・Resolving the Gender Gap ・Japan’s Future Strength: Turning Technology into Business and Communicating It ・Defining a Startup Ecosystem ・And other topics Be sure to check it out here: https://d-pops-group.co.jp/en/column/startupecosystem-part3/
  • Interview
2026.04.02
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