Fractional/Interim VP of Product | Growth-stage to enterprise companies in Japan & APAC | AI-driven growth & transformation | 15+ yrs: DAZN, Rakuten, Indeed
Tokyo, Japan
- Tweets 194
- Following 2,879
- Followers 1,088
- Likes 156
Patience pays in Tokyo property due diligence. The same discipline applies when verifying Japanese companies: check the official corporate-number site and commercial registry rather than relying on a domain name or secondary directory. Those records are free or low-cost and reduce the risk of dealing with the wrong entity.
Tokyo's market rewards patience on due diligence more than urgency on price - the same property re-listed months later often sells for more as buyers rotate back in.
#JapanRealEstate #InvestInJapan #JapanProperty #TokyoInvestment
2
15
223
Useful guide for tax-focused M&A due diligence in Japan. A useful companion step is confirming the target’s official registration data (corporate number, registered address, and directors) early. In Japan a familiar .co.jp address or website is not reliable proof of identity; the commercial registry and NTA site usually settle that quickly and cheaply.
Foreign buyer? Our new guide “Tax Due Diligence for Cross‑border M&A in Japan (2026)” fills a gap with practical checklists, indemnity tips and post‑closing risk‑allocation advice. A must‑read for M&A teams. #JapanTax #Mergers
globallawexperts.com/tax-due…
11
114
Practical starting points for checking a Japanese company. In practice I also pull the free corporate-number record and, when needed, the commercial registry (a few hundred yen) because websites and directories can be outdated. Official sources confirm the legal entity; the domain or site only confirms who controls that particular page.
企業連絡、先ず見るところはHP。
そこから会社の所在地調べてビルが存在するか、資本金はいくらか、代表連絡先は固定電話で存在するか（携帯番号は信用できない）代表の顔は検索で出てくるかまでやって全部でてきたらやっと信用できるんだよなぁ。。。のきもち
9
105
endress.co.jp rents doormats. leica.co.jp sells shoe care. zebra.co.jp makes pens.
In Japan a familiar domain isn’t proof you’ve found the right company. Check the official records.
#Japan #B2B #DueDiligence
1
3
63
185 foreign-owned B2B companies in Japan had a Japanese website I could find.
92 put it inside their global site. 72 gave it its own .jp domain.
Neither number tells you who can change it. Here's why that question matters more than the setup.
2
1
7
174
When the limiting factor is physical capacity and the economics of securing it (prepayments, substrate and packaging partners, etc.) rather than model capability itself, the conversation about “AI speeding development” shifts from software productivity to industrial and supply-chain constraints. Japan sits in the middle of several of those material and equipment chokepoints.
Capacity, not models, is the bottleneck in Japan — Huang said it outright, and the ¥500B/$1.1B prepayment economics around Ibiden/Samsung Electro-Mechanics/KYEC are where the AI capex is actually landing.
2
12
272
NTT’s focus on turning existing (often inconsistent) documentation and code into AI-readable assets addresses one of the real constraints in Japanese enterprise: most effort is still maintenance and enhancement of legacy systems rather than greenfield builds. Making the accumulated context usable is a prerequisite before generation speed can translate into faster, safer change.
NTT（エヌティティ）が、既存システムの設計書とコードの食い違いを見つけ、不足するテストを自動生成する技術を発表しました！
使い続けてきたシステムの追加開発・保守を、生成AIで支援する研究成果です。
🍄 10/23発表の2つの技術
・仕様書・設計書・コードの対応関係を自動で整理し、不整合や記載漏れを検出・補完
・既存テストで確認できていない観点を可視化し、不足するテストを自動生成
🍄 今後は実際の開発・保守案件へ
サンプルアプリでの予備実験を行った段階で、一般提供を始めた製品ではありません。
NTTは実際の案件への適用を進め、実用化を目指しています。
11/18〜25の研究展示会「NTT R&D FORUM 2026」で展示予定です。
新しくコードを書くAIだけでなく、積み重なった設計書やテストまで扱うのが面白いですね！
🍄 出典（元記事）
group.ntt/jp/newsrelease/202…
#生成AI #システム開発
ALT NTTが2026年10月23日に発表した、既存ソフトウェア資産をAIが理解・活用しやすい状態にする研究技術の図解。左はトレーサビリティ解析で、仕様書・設計書・コードの対応関係を構造化し、不整合や記載漏れを検出・補完する。右はテスト自動生成で、確認済みと未確認の観点を可視化し、不足する観点やケースを自動生成する。サンプルアプリで予備実験を行った研究成果で、今後は実案件への適用と実用化を目指す。右下にキノコ君。
1
7
127
Domestic models moving into financial-system development at a major research institute is a concrete step. The interesting question is no longer whether AI can speed certain coding or review tasks, but which new bottlenecks (domain-specific validation, regulatory alignment, data lineage, or human oversight capacity) emerge once the model is inside regulated Japanese workflows.
1
4
71
"The cost of building software to a clear spec has fallen dramatically, making everything else seem like a bottleneck in comparison." (Andrew Ng)
For many teams, that bottleneck is now the PM. Two ways out.
3
149
Palantir's Echos did work we now associate with forward-deployed PMs.
Scale AI now advertises an FDPM role at $240-300k base in three US cities. I think it becomes a major, more technical PM role. Japan will need it too, once it's clearly defined.
2
11
361
Great energy at Plug and Play Japan Summit 2026 at Tokyo Innovation Base. Strong Deeptech and Energy tracks, solid corporate partners, and useful AI/Deeptech sessions. Thanks to @plugandplayjp and @tib_tokyo for putting together a well-run event that actually connects people. #JapanSummit2026
9
238
Just attended Growth Hub #18: Inside a Japanese VC with @tiffanykayo (@coral_capital).
Really insightful look at how Japanese VCs evaluate early-stage startups and the differences vs. the US. Great moderation too by @dallarosajp.
Thanks @ShibuyaStartup for organizing!
🚀 Growth Hub #18：Inside a Japanese VC w/
@coral_capital
How do Japanese VCs make early-stage investment decisions? Join us with Tiffany Kayo, Principal at Coral Capital, for an inside look at what Japanese VCs look for in startups, how the US and Japan differ, and what founders should know when raising in Japan.
📅 Oct 21 (Wed) 4:30–6:00 PM
📍 Shibuya Startup Support
🗣️ English
👉 Register: luma.com/mi87txqo
3
280
Thoughtful framing of Japan as “elsewhere.” Lower relative cost of entrepreneurship, high density of specialized craft and hardware talent, and less crowded competition can be real advantages when global capital concentrates in a few hubs. The open question is how many founders can convert those structural edges into products that travel beyond the domestic market. Worth tracking which categories (robotics, content IP, precision manufacturing, etc.) are currently converting best.
AIの資金がサンフランシスコに集中する流れへの逆張りで、あえて"elsewhere"（それ以外）の起業家に賭けるファンドEndeavor Catalystが5号ファンドを$320Mで組成。GPは起業家支援のNonProfitであるEndeavor。つまり起業家が起業家を応援するためのファンド。
日本も世界から見ればelsewhereの一部ですね。
自分は米国で15年過ごした後に日本で25年働いてきたけど、日本を見てつくづく思うのは、
・日本人が世界に向けて得意・秀でている技術やクラフトが沢山ある（ハードウェア、ロボット・宇宙、製造技術、IPコンテンツ、食、ホスピタリティなど）
・世界中でインフレが進む中で、起業のコストが最も低い国でもある
・起業する人の割合も少ないため、起業の競争、勝ち抜くハードルも低い環境である
そう考えると、日本で起業するって客観的に見てもめちゃくちゃアドバンテージ。
Elsewhereから世界で勝つ起業家を生み出したいですね。
4
146
Interesting deep-tech angle from Japan. Kinish is using plant molecular farming to produce milk proteins in rice, with products already in both Japan and the U.S. This sits at the intersection of food tech, alternative proteins, and Japan’s agricultural research strengths. The Global Brain investment suggests institutional interest in climate- and supply-chain-resilient food production coming out of Japanese labs.
【出資リリース】植物分子農業技術を用いた代替乳製品を開発・製造する株式会社Kinishへ出資しました🌾
globalbrains.com/posts/inves…
6
138
Clean example of a young Japanese founder spotting a real content consumption gap. Synchronizing anime with creator reaction videos on one screen is simple in concept but hard to execute well at scale. If the 2034 market size projections hold, this kind of interactive viewing layer could become a meaningful distribution channel for both Japanese IP and global anime fans. Worth watching how they balance creator tools with rights management.
Japan's RASEN is developing RASENWATCH, a platform that synchronizes anime with creators' reaction videos so viewers can watch both on one screen. #JapanStartups #JSB
5
97
In a 2026 survey of B2B purchase participants at companies in Japan with 50+ staff, 24.9% of AI users said they used AI information in internal explanations or 稟議 as-is or nearly so. 46.9% had 5+ people involved.
What do your buyer's approvers read?
1
3
168
GMO’s findings on AI-assisted attacks against Japanese firms illustrate the current reality: autonomous or semi-autonomous agents can rapidly identify and exploit known weaknesses across many targets. This makes proactive measures—such as continuous external attack-surface management, strict API authentication and rate limiting, and faster vulnerability remediation—more critical than ever. Investing in both defensive AI capabilities and basic hygiene will determine how well organizations weather the next wave.
1
2
124
The Japan Times confirmation that data from an older administrative file server (used until 2022) was published highlights a persistent risk with legacy systems and long-retained HR/partner records. Even when core customer or payment systems are unaffected, residual data can fuel targeted phishing against former employees and business partners. Regular data minimization, encryption of archived files, and clear incident-notification processes remain essential even for systems that appear decommissioned.
🇯🇵 🚨 JAPAN: THE JAPAN TIMES CONFIRMS RANSOMWARE ATTACK, STOLEN DATA PUBLISHED ONLINE
The Japan Times and parent News2u Holdings have issued a second official update on a ransomware attack on a group-managed server.
• Ransomware attack on the server confirmed on Sept 18, 2026
• On Oct 15, the company confirmed that data the attacker claims to have stolen was published on an external website
• The server was an administrative file server used until August 2022
• Published data may include HR-related and business-partner information from 2001 to August 2022
• The company says The Japan Times Online, subscriber databases and payment systems run on separate infrastructure
• Police and Japan's Personal Information Protection Commission have been notified
⚠️ Analyst Note:
Organization-confirmed, not just a leak-site claim. Old file servers still hold years of HR and partner records. Partners and former staff should expect targeted phishing that impersonates the group and should not open unexpected links or attachments.
Primary: japantimes.co.jp/press/2026/…
#DDW #DarkWeb #Ransomware #DataLeak #Japan #JapanTimes #ThreatIntelligence #CyberSecurity
75
Useful reminder that ransomware branding in Japan has shifted: while Qilin remains the most recognized name after the Asahi case, leak-site data shows The Gentlemen (linked to a Qilin affiliate team) has listed more Japanese organizations in 2026. Tracking group evolution, affiliate models, and preferred initial-access methods matters more for defense planning than any single moniker. Organizations should prioritize robust backups, network segmentation, and monitoring for the common tactics these groups share.
In Japan, the ransomware name everyone knows is Qilin, thanks to Asahi.
On the leak sites, 2026 belongs to The Gentlemen: 23 Japanese organizations listed vs 15 for Qilin. Group-IB says it grew out of a Qilin affiliate team.
japancyberwatch.com/articles…
121
