Photo: Courtesy of Mr. Kei Sugino, Tokushima New Business Conference

On September 6, I once again had the privilege of participating in “Startup Camp,” held at Mazenooka Auto Campground in Kaiyo-cho, Tokushima Prefecture. It takes about two hours by bus heading south from Tokushima City, and the sense of “countryside” deepens considerably along the way. The message from the organizer, Tokushima New Business Conference (Chairman: Takahiro Shima) — “We want you to talk openly about business and life in the open air and join us as your true self” — resonates strongly in such a setting.

The participants included Mr. Noritaka Okabe, CEO of JPYC Inc., Japan’s first regulated yen-denominated stablecoin issuer, licensed as a “Funds Transfer Service Provider”; Mr. Tomoyoshi Akashi, Chairman of Ishin Co., Ltd. (listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market); Mr. Yuji Fujita, CEO of Peatix Japan K.K.; Mr. Ryunosuke Kimura, CEO of ToBe Inc. and well-known Shakespeare-play director; as well as entrepreneurs and venture capitalists connected through Mr. Kazutaka Muraguchi, General Partner and representative of Nippon Technology Venture Partners, well known for early investments in DeNA and for pioneering Japan’s hometown tax donation program (Furusato Nozei), along with local business leaders, government officials, researchers, financial institutions, and students.

This year’s theme was “A Day to Talk About the Future Like a Boy.” The venue was filled with discussions led by speakers who are at the forefront of their respective fields, covering topics ranging from the societal and industrial impact of stablecoins and generative AI to the latest methods of startup fundraising. I joined Mr. Yoshihito Fukushima, Executive Managing Director of TOKUSHIMA VORTIS Football Club; Mr. Keisuke Minami, President of the Tokushima Indigo Socks baseball team; and Mr. Ikuto Usuki, President of TOKUSHIMA GAMBAROUS basketball club, in a panel on sports business and regional revitalization. After the talks and panel sessions, we enjoyed the customary BBQ party and had a great time connecting with each other.

Across Japan, many initiatives are now underway to solve local challenges and achieve sustainable economic growth. But the path is not easy. Simply bringing professional sports to a region does not guarantee revitalization. To truly energize the local community, winning games is essential — and that means fostering sports in which local teams can compete on a global level and developing athletes who can succeed internationally, thereby creating a virtuous cycle of capital, talent, and people. That was essentially the conclusion of my panel session, and it closely aligns with Mr. Muraguchi’s belief that “producing entrepreneurs who succeed globally will make the regions more prosperous.”

Technologies such as decentralized internet platforms and innovations powered by generative AI are not constrained by geography. In that sense, Tokushima — indeed, every region — has the same opportunity as Tokyo. My message to the regions of Japan: Keep pushing forward, local Japan!

Takashi Mizukoshi, the President
This Week’s Focus, September 7 – 11, 2025