Michi Tohma - OHYASHIMA

BEAM Technologies, aiming to manufacture semiconductor crystals in space, raises $1.4m in seed round

RIKEN spinout BEAM Technologies raises $1.4m to grow semiconductor crystals in microgravity, signing LEO manufacturing MOUs with Resonac and others.

2026.06.26

Technology

ElevationSpace, developer of a re-entry-capsule satellite, raises $40m in Series B round

Japanese re-entry-satellite startup ElevationSpace has raised $40m in Series B funding, accelerating its "Aoba" mission and post-ISS space plans.

2026.06.25

Technology

Three-wheeled EV maker Lean Mobility raises $5m in pre-Series A round

Lean Mobility, a Japan-Taiwan EV startup, has raised ¥800m in a pre-Series A round to fund mass production of its three-wheeled Lean3 microcar in Tainan.

2026.06.24

Technology

Yoyogi Animation Group raises $18m to develop entertainment IP

Yoyogi Animation Group has raised $18m in equity funding to develop next-generation entertainment IP.

2026.06.23

Business

Vol. 14 | How the Ohmi Shonin Travelled: By Sea

The landlocked Ohmi Shonin chartered ships from Tsuruga to trade with Hokkaido. The author traces their Edo-period sea routes, and a hotpot born along the way.

2026.06.22

SeriesThe Jodo Ethic and the Spirit of the Ohmi Shonin

Amended Copyright Law Enacted, Clearing the Way for Japan to Collect Music Royalties Overseas

Japan's amended Copyright Law lets artists collect overseas royalties via a new record performance and communication right, effective by 2029.

2026.06.19

Policy & Regulation

Space BD, which handled launch integration for last week’s H3 rocket, raises $22m in Series C round

Space BD raises $22m in additional Series C funding, days after providing Japan's first commercial rideshare slots on JAXA's sixth H3 rocket launch from Tanegashima.

2026.06.18

Technology

Mythos Access Suspension “Not a Major Issue in Itself,” Says Finance Minister Katayama

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama says the U.S. suspension of foreign access to Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable models is no major problem for Japan, noting that the two finance ministries’ understanding remains unchanged.

2026.06.17

Policy & Regulation

BMI Developer LIFESCAPES Raises $4 Million

LIFESCAPES, a Keio University spinout developing non-invasive brain-machine interface technology, has raised ¥600 million (about $4 million) to fund overseas expansion into ASEAN markets, a clinical trial of its therapeutic BMI device, and next-generation business development.

2026.06.16

Technology

What Saturday’s Crowds in Fukuoka’s Hakata District Reveal

Fukuoka's population has grown 19.2% over the past two decades—far outpacing Japan's other major regional cities. The author explores what's driving this surge, from the Tenjin redevelopment to the city's geographic advantages for international business.

2026.06.15

Opinion / Column