METI has approved a joint proposal from Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City to hold Global Startup EXPO 2026 in the fourth quarter. The event is scheduled for October 5–7 across Osaka’s Umeda and Nakanoshima districts, focusing on deep tech and National Strategic Technology Areas.
Osaka has tapped the Japan Research Institute, Hakuhodo and Sony Network Communications to lead organization. The EXPO aims to convene startups, investors, universities, corporates and government bodies from Japan and abroad, building on momentum from the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo.
The push is backed by concrete results: Osaka reports 653 startups created and 31 foreign financial firms established locally by end of FY2025. Phase 2 targets through FY2030 include 1,200 startups and 50 foreign financial firms.
Incentives include subsidies up to ¥10 million for new bases and Japan’s first local tax holiday for foreign financial companies.