On May 22, BEYOND Expo teamed up with ReGACY Innovation Group to successfully host the Japan Tech Forum as part of this year’s Regional Cooperation Forums at The Venetian Macao Cotai Expo. The forum brought together distinguished leaders from Japan’s political, industrial, academic, and research communities to explore and discuss multi-dimensional topics.

Serving as a gateway to the global innovation stage, the forum not only showcased Japan’s technological expertise across multiple frontier sectors but also highlighted its strategic policy initiatives, opening new avenues for cross-border collaboration within Asia’s dynamic innovation ecosystem.

Japan Leaders Unveil Strategic Technology Innovation Plan

Miura Jun, Consul-General (Ambassador) of Japan in Hong Kong, opened the forum by underscoring Japan’s strengths in key industries, particularly AI, green energy, and other emerging technologies. He highlighted government initiatives aimed at fostering public-private partnerships and cross-ministerial innovation, along with regional efforts to nurture open innovation ecosystems and support startups.

“This forum provides a valuable platform for tech companies and startups from China and across Asia to better understand Japan’s technological capabilities,” Miura said. He added that while showcasing their strengths and constantly innovating, Japanese stakeholders are committed to deeper international cooperation to solve global challenges, from ageing populations to environmental and energy concerns.

Afterwards, representatives from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Okinawa then shared regional strategies to build globally competitive tech environments:

Kazuya Katayama,Deputy Director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Innovation Strategy Promotion Headquarters, shared about the city’s support for Green Tech, Digitalisation and Entrepreneurship through new policies. He also introduced SusHi Tech Tokyo, a global summit promoting sustainable urban tech, which is an initiative aligned with Tokyo’s long-term vision to become a global “startup city.

Hiroyuki Baba, Director of Osaka Prefecture’s Commerce, Industry, and Labor Department, detailed how Osaka is leveraging the upcoming 2025 World Expo in Kansai to catalyze growth in life sciences, regenerative medicine, and carbon neutrality.

Taro Yamamoto, Deputy Director from Kyoto Prefecture’s Commerce,Industry,Labor and Tourism Department, discussed Kyoto’s three-fold strategy—“Technology transforming the City,” “Startup Ecosystem,” and “Kansai Technological City”—aimed at attracting deep-tech investment and global innovation resources.

Yasutoshi Nohara, Director of the Okinawa Prefecture Hong Kong Representative Office, highlighted Okinawa’s strategic location, unique energy infrastructure, and youthful population, enabled by special legislation and policies to build a thriving research ecosystem.

Corporate Leaders Highlight New Strategies & Innovation Breakthroughs

During the “Japanese Corporations Innovation Showcase,” leading executives presented next-generation technologies and collaboration strategies:

Mikio Takenaka, VP of Sony China, showcased advanced 3D modelling and human-computer interaction systems. “Co-creating real-world applications with China’s visionaries and innovators is key to driving technological transformation,” he emphasised.

Guided by the philosophy of “co-creating impact,” Yuta Hashimoto, Co-founder of Bricks Fund Tokyo (Mitsubishi Estate), outlined how the company is leveraging corporate venture capital to drive cross-industry collaboration and build an open innovation ecosystem.

He stated, “We are expanding our focus beyond real estate to future-oriented sectors such as AI and climate tech, actively seeking global partnerships.”

Venus Wen, Deputy GM at Mizuho Bank (China), presented Mizuho’s goal of creating a “ Tech Partnerships – Capital Matching – Global Market Expansion” pathway along the Sino-Japanese corridor. Collaboration with International partners like BEYOND Expo drives a thriving tech innovation ecosystem, and supports Chinese and Japanese enterprises in achieving mutual business success in global markets.

Tomoya Imai, AI Director at ReGACY Innovation Group, spoke on systematising and innovating consulting using AI. He reinforced that the co-evolution of technology and humanity is the core of true innovation.

High-Level Dialogues Unveil Opportunities for Sino-Japanese Collaboration

In the first discussion, the panellists explored the topic of “Cross-Border Collaboration: Driving Innovation Growth through Japan-Asia”.

  • Takehiro Hirase (Mitsubishi Estate) shared his experiences on open collaboration strategies in Asia
  • Ryotaro Nakayama (Makuake) on how crowdfunding enables product validation and drives market expansion;
  • Yusuke Kimura (Consul at the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong) on policy supporting innovation through international collaborations
  • Fu Haofeng, CEO of ReGACY Innovation Group China, highlighted the synergy between China’s innovation speed and Japan’s technological depth, suggesting it could yield globally competitive collaboration models.

The second roundtable discussion, titled ‘Tech Meets Capital: Shaping the Future of Innovation Investment in Asia’, features Akio Tanaka (Headline VC), Jie He (Global Brain China), and Ichio Cho (Mizuho Leaguer Investment).

They discussed trends in AI investment, post-investment synergy, and Japan-China collaboration. The panellists collectively agreed that Asia is becoming a hotbed for disruptive innovation, and Japan should adopt more agile innovation mechanisms to integrate with ecosystems like the Greater Bay Area.

The Japan Tech Forum at BEYOND Expo 2025 was more than a showcase—it was a strategic platform connecting Japan’s innovation resources with broader Asian and Chinese markets. Through dialogue, investment, and cross-border cooperation, Japan’s tech vision took centre stage, opening new avenues for shared growth in Asia’s evolving innovation landscape.