

How a New Generation of Entrepreneur is Forging the Face of New Japan - jason_tko
http://beaconreports.net/how-a-new-generation-of-entrepreneur-is-forging-the-face-of-new-japan/

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harisenbon
This article really mirrors my own experience in dealing with startups in
Japan -- especially those outside of the Tokyo bubble. There's still this
pervasive idea that if you're not a member of some multi-corporation
conglomeration like Toyota or Sony, that you're not doing "real" business.

Probably the quote from the article that hit home the hardest for me was this
one:

> Many people told me that, in Japan, failures are punished. They also told me
> that, if you start and fail, you will be personally bankrupt.

This is something I've been told many, many times throughout my professional
career in Japan. And it's obviously not true -- harder than in the US, for
sure -- but definitely not impossible. I see new companies springing up all
the time in Japan, and not just what we would think of as startups, but also
Entrepreneurial ventures in industries such as manufacturing, finance and
trade.

Equally refreshing is this view of the old and new Japan coming from a
Japanese person. I hear stuff about the new Japanese culture all the time from
ExPats in the startup community, but normally this new vs old is the elephant
in the room when the Japanese talk about the future of Japanese business (at
least in my experience).

I still remember when SMAP went to GREE's headquarters and did an interview
with Tanaka a few years ago -- "How can you be head of a huge company, you're
younger than me!"

PS - Other favorite quote from a show about up and coming CEOs in Japan: "How
can people be making that much money on the INTERNET?!?!"

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jason_tko
>>There's still this pervasive idea that if you're not a member of some multi-
corporation conglomeration like Toyota or Sony, that you're not doing "real"
business.

I agree, and it drives me kind of nuts.

This is something I think you need to work with, rather than against, since
this is a reality that won't change in the short term.

Our solution will be to try to get some of these large Japanese companies as
customers, to give us the credibility we need to approach more and more
businesses around Japan, and I'd advise anyone else trying to break into the
B2B market to do the same.

~~~
harisenbon
Agreed -- Nagoya is also especially well-known for never sticking their neck
out. "If Tokyo and Osaka are making gazillions of dollars on it, we MIGHT
consider it" is the general position around here, but I think it's very
indicative of most traditional Japanese businesses.

And like you say, that's why it's important to have some of those big names
under your belt. It's one of the best parts of my sales pitch to Japanese
companies where I can say "Oh yes, I've done work with Toyota on improving
their processes."

(Also, when I was looking at Priuses, I told the salesguy that I made the app
he was showing to me, but it didn't get me a discount on the car)

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jason_tko
Speaking as someone doing a startup in Japan, this is a very enjoyable
article.

Richard is one of the few writers focused on the new wave of businesses,
entrepreneurs and startup accelerators in Japan.

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diasks2
Interesting interview. Although Mr. Hori seems optimistic about the younger
generations in Japan (and I would like to agree with him), I still think that
the "New Japan" he describes is much, much smaller than he makes it out to be.
Overall though, I have seen a lot of positive progress in the entrepreneurial
community in Japan over the past couple of years, especially with regards to
incubators/accelerators gaining more traction.

~~~
gillygize
I agree. I've been working in the startup scene in Japan for the past couple
years (and at GREE, one of the companies which is mentioned in the article). I
have met a lot of very enthusiastic young entrepreneurs, but I am not yet sure
that there is a big enough crowd of people with that mentality to call it "New
Japan." He makes it sound as though there has been an entire generational
shift.

~~~
jason_tko
These changes are mainly localised to startup communities in Tokyo. However,
the movement has to start somewhere. As harisenbon says, if this generational
shift to entrepreneurship and changing attitudes on new businesses does not
occur, Japan's future does not look bright at all.

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activepeanut
The most fitting way to describe these entrepreneurs would be modern day
ronins.

