TOKYO, Aug. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Startup Island TAIWAN is continuing to deepen innovation collaboration between Taiwan and Japan, expanding from Tokyo and the broader Kanto region to the industrial networks of Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and the wider Kansai region, while strengthening connections with the U.S. innovation ecosystem. The 2026 Japan-Taiwan Innovation Summit, held in Tokyo on August 18, brought together government representatives, corporations, investors, and startups from Taiwan, Japan, and the United States. One day earlier in Osaka, Startup Island TAIWAN signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, a core company of the Hankyu Hanshin Group. Together, these initiatives reflect a growing multi-layered network of cross-border collaboration spanning corporations, investment, markets, and regional innovation ecosystems.
Now in its fifth year, the 2026 Japan-Taiwan Innovation Summit featured 46 Taiwanese startups across deep-tech sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, space technology, autonomous driving, and digital health. Participating Japanese and international corporations and investment institutions included Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsui Group, Kyocera Group, ITOCHU Corporation, Sony, DCI Partners, and U.S.-based SRI Ventures. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Executive Vice President Tomohiro Takashima delivered remarks, while John Speaks, Regional Technology Officer at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, delivered a keynote address. More than 500 participants attended the Summit.
National Development Council (NDC) Minister Yeh Chun-Hsien highlighted Taiwan’s continued rise in global competitiveness and innovation. Taiwan ranked fourth globally in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2026 and entered the global top 20 for the first time in StartupBlink’s Global Startup Ecosystem Index, recording the largest improvement among countries in the top 20. As Taiwan continues to advance in AI, semiconductors, and other deep-tech industries, it is increasingly translating its technology and industrial strengths into momentum for startup growth and international collaboration.
Taiwan is advancing major initiatives including the “Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects,” while Startup Island TAIWAN continues to build cross-border innovation networks, with Japan serving as a key partner. Through the Japan-Taiwan Innovation Summit, the Startup Island TAIWAN Tokyo Hub, and partnerships with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, JETRO, Japanese corporations, and innovation ecosystem partners, more than 500 engagements have been facilitated between Taiwanese startups and the Japanese market.
In the Kanto region, Startup Island TAIWAN has continued to work through its Tokyo Hub and partnerships with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and JETRO to create channels connecting startups, corporations, and market opportunities. As the frequency and depth of Taiwan–Japan collaboration continue to grow, the Startup Island TAIWAN Tokyo Hub in Minato City expanded its operations on August 20, strengthening its capacity to connect companies, startups, investors, and innovation ecosystem partners across Taiwan and Japan.
Taiwan–Japan innovation collaboration is also expanding from Kanto to Kansai. On August 17, Startup Island TAIWAN signed an MOU with Hankyu Hanshin Properties in Osaka. Witnessed by NDC Minister Yeh Chun-Hsien and Hankyu Hanshin Properties President Yasuki Fukui, the agreement established a systematic collaboration platform connecting Taiwan’s startup ecosystem with industries across Kansai. It marks the first time the Hankyu Hanshin Group has established a systematic partnership with Taiwan’s startup ecosystem.
Under the partnership, Kansai will serve as a key region for connecting Taiwanese startups with Japanese corporations and local industry resources. Based on corporate needs, the two sides will promote business matching, technology validation, and open innovation in smart-city-related fields including transportation, tourism, and retail. Leveraging the Hankyu Hanshin Group’s industrial networks across Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and the broader Kansai region, the partnership aims to create further opportunities for practical collaboration between Taiwanese startups and Japanese companies.
From Kanto to Kansai, Taiwan–Japan innovation collaboration now spans government, corporations, investment, market access, technology validation, and regional innovation ecosystems. Among the 46 Taiwanese startups participating in this year’s Summit, more than 30 have already established operations in Japan, received investment or grant support, or entered into partnerships with Japanese companies—demonstrating how cross-border engagement is increasingly translating into tangible market and business outcomes.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike described this as an important moment for Taiwan–Japan startup collaboration. Many Taiwanese startups have participated in SusHi Tech Tokyo, while the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is also supporting Japanese startups in pursuing business opportunities in Taiwan. She expressed her expectation that stronger connections among companies and innovation talent on both sides will create new business opportunities and international outcomes.
JETRO Executive Vice President Tomohiro Takashima noted that the semiconductor supply chain developing around TSMC in Kumamoto has become an important example of the complementary strengths of Taiwanese and Japanese industries. He also highlighted the potential to further strengthen collaboration among partners in Taiwan, Japan, and the United States.
This year’s Summit further brought U.S. technology, investment, and innovation stakeholders into the conversation. John Speaks of the U.S. Department of State, together with representatives from SRI Ventures, Kyocera Group, and other participating organizations, shared perspectives on future collaboration among Taiwan, Japan, and the United States in technology and innovation, including opportunities to deepen engagement with Taiwanese innovative companies and jointly pursue global markets.
Looking ahead, Startup Island TAIWAN will continue to connect global innovation resources through its Tokyo and Silicon Valley hubs while deepening partnerships with governments, corporations, investors, and innovation ecosystems across Japan. Building on five editions of the Japan-Taiwan Innovation Summit, Startup Island TAIWAN aims to connect the industrial and innovation networks of Kanto and Kansai with U.S. markets and innovation resources—creating further opportunities for investment, technology validation, corporate collaboration, and market expansion, and strengthening connections among the innovation ecosystems of Taiwan, Japan, and the world.
