Corporate strategy, funding, alliances
Business JR East Unveils New Paper Tickets Carrying QR Codes, to Launch Next Spring
JR East and seven other Tokyo-area railway operators are replacing magnetic paper tickets with QR-code tickets from spring 2027. The move targets maintenance costs and environmental load — but with an estimated 90 to 95 percent of JR East passengers already using Suica, physical tickets may see little use regardless.
Business movus technologies, an Eco-Car Subscription Startup, Raises $27M in Series B
Japan-headquartered movus technologies has raised $27 million in a Series B round to expand its eco-car subscription service for ride-hailing drivers in Indonesia, where limited access to vehicle financing constrains both driver supply and mobility.
Business What Japan’s METI–Infrastructure Talks Reveal About Corporate IT Security
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry convened talks with critical infrastructure operators on the threat of AI-assisted cyberattacks. The meeting highlights a broader pattern: many Japanese companies continue to rely on VPNs, and that dependence has made them a target.
Business Pictoria Raises $2 Million to Expand AI Character Business
Pictoria, a Tokyo-based AI character developer behind VTuber Tsumugi Nen, has raised 330 million yen ($2 million) in a combined equity and debt round. Canon Marketing Japan is among the investors.
Business Brave group Raises Over $50M in Series E Round
Brave group, a Tokyo-based VTuber company, has closed a Series E round totaling over ¥8 billion (approx. $50M), with 16 equity investors and three banks participating.
Business ECOMMIT Closes $9 Million Series B Round to Scale Circular Economy Infrastructure
ECOMMIT, a Japanese startup building resource circulation infrastructure, has closed a $9 million Series B round. The Kagoshima-based company behind PASSTO collection boxes reuses or recycles 98% of collected apparel and aims to triple its annual collection volume within three years.
Business Infroneer HD, Known for Construction and Machinery, Acquires Waterworks Operator Swing
Infroneer Holdings, the Japan-based infrastructure conglomerate behind Maeda Corporation, has agreed to acquire waterworks operator Swing Corporation for over 90 billion yen. The deal fills a critical gap in Infroneer's push to become a one-stop infrastructure services provider — and may signal its ambitions to close the revenue gap with Japan's elite "super generals."
Business Seaweed-Based Food Startup Aqua Theon Raises $5 Million
Aqua Theon, a Japanese-founded food startup based in Los Angeles, has closed a third tranche of its pre-Series A round, raising approximately $5 million. The company's flagship product, OoMee Matcha — a functional beverage made with agar and matcha — is now available in 700 U.S. stores. Aqua Theon positions seaweed as both a health-forward ingredient and a sustainable one, citing its rapid growth rate and CO₂ absorption capacity.
Business Skylark Holdings Acquires Operator of Shinpachi Shokudo
Skylark Holdings, one of Japan's largest restaurant groups, announced the acquisition of Shinpachi, the operator of grilled fish set meal chain Shinpachi Shokudo, for approximately 11 billion yen ($69 million). The deal adds another strong brand to Skylark's growing portfolio of M&A targets.
Business MLIT Reports Peak Moving Season: Late March to Early April Expected to Be Extremely Busy
Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has announced that moving reservations for the final week of March through the first week of April are at their highest congestion level. The seasonal crunch reflects Japan’s April-start fiscal and academic calendar, which drives a nationwide wave of corporate transfers and university enrollments each spring. Moving costs during the peak period average around ¥200,000 for families and ¥120,000 for individuals, with rates rising year over year amid wage growth and fuel price increases.