October 2019
A round-up of Japan’s key tech, startup and funding news from October of 2019.
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- Japan: Brokerage houses Nomura and Daiwa look to blockchain to rival Rakuten and Monex, recognising DLT’s game-changing potential around digital securities
- Japan: Fusion Bank aiming at banking system as a white label service for free-to exchanges around the world, utilising the Fusion Bank banking license
- Japan: State-backed Cool Japan Fund to invest circa $50M in Go-Jek ride-hail giant, aiming to push Japanese content to Grab’s new video streaming offering
- Japan: JCB credit card issuer to partner Singapore’s Socash fintech startup for SE Asia cardless cash advance service for Japanese travellers
- Japan’s SoftBank to partner IBM for cross-carrier blockchain solutions, aiming to allow smartphone users to make local payments when traveling overseas and roaming
- Japan establishes cybersecurity council with aim of securing the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics
- Japan: Credit Saison credit card company unveils $55M early-stage startups fund focused on SE Asia and India
- An intro to Japan’s Open Meals, developing technology for 3D-printed food made from sustainable ingredients
- A look at Japan’s moves with insect-based startups, using ‘superflies’, spiders and worms to create organic solutions to sustainability problems
- Taiwan: Appier, SoftBank-backed AI startup, acquires Japan’s Emotion Intelligence for tech that encourages online shoppers to buy now
