Innovate

Innovation is seen as the key to economic success in the country, given the scarcity of natural resources and its rapidly ageing population. A renewed focus on achieving this in both the private and public sectors makes Japan the ideal market for European companies to enter.

From the early 2000s to 2020, the MEXT and the METI actively promoted the “Knowledge Cluster Initiative” and the “Industrial Cluster Project” as a means to reinforce international competitiveness and regional development and accelerate the formation of clusters.

This section will provide you with more information about the Japanese protection system for intellectual property, the main procedures to follow and the major costs involved.

Japan’s reputation as an international hub for R&D has been established through heavy investment in this area, making the country a key destination for the establishment of cutting-edge R&D centres.

The several policies and support programs provided by the government, the assistance of angel investors and crowdfunding and the openness of major corporations to support the start-up market, create increasing opportunities for European start-ups to flourish in the Japan market.