Blackbox Hosts Inaugural Media Event with Regional Government Focus

On January 29, Blackbox held its first in-house media event in Tokyo. The event aimed to clarify Blackbox's mission amid the evolving startup landscape in Japan. Taiki Iwasaki, General Manager, highlighted the growing support for startups, particularly international ones. Under the former Prime Minister Kishida's Startup Development plan, more than 700 Startup Visas have been issued, transitioning to Business Management Visas.

A key challenge remains Japan's business environment, perceived as opaque to outsiders. Blackbox addresses this through its Directory pages in English, offering information on visas, government support, and local entrepreneurship across various cities.

The event featured a presentation by Toru Udagawa from the Cabinet Office, outlining Japan's startup ecosystem roadmap. A notable roundtable included delegates from cities within Special Economic Zones sharing insights. Each city's unique historical and cultural influence was discussed, from Nagoya's industrial ambitions to Shibuya's focus on foreign investment.