Japan Govt-Backed Agency to Support Ventures in AI, Nuclear Fusion

The Yomiuri Shimbun

6:00 JST, March 29, 2026

As part of efforts to boost startups in cutting-edge fields like AI and nuclear fusion, the government plans to launch a new authorized corporation as early as next spring, according to sources.

Through the organization — tentatively named the “agency for promoting the utilization of research results in advanced technology” — the government intends to offer integrated support for everything from research and development to commercialization. The government seeks to bolster Japan’s competitiveness in advanced industries where it lags the United States and China.

The government intends to approve a related bill at a Cabinet meeting soon and aims to pass it during the current Diet session.

The agency will be responsible for operating Global Startup Campus, a hub for creating new businesses that will open on state-owned land in central Tokyo in fiscal 2029 or later. It will provide support for such things as R&D, commercialization, human resource development and promoting exchanges.

Specific tasks include managing intellectual property rights and opening experimental facilities, as well as sending researchers abroad and attracting venture capital firms within Japan and from overseas.

Support will primarily target startups in deep tech sectors that involve innovative technologies, including AI, nuclear fusion, quantum computing and semiconductors.

These sectors are directly linked to national security through their dual-use nature, and also involve high risks regarding profitability, making government backing indispensable.

According to the Cabinet Office, similar support hubs in the United States, Britain and Canada have shown tangible results in fundraising and job creation, spurring Japan to accelerate its efforts to close the gap.

The government plans to appoint the agency’s president from the private sector and make English the official language within the organization. It also intends to adopt Western-style management methods that centralize authority in project managers to enable swift decision-making.

Existing science and technology-related funds worth about ¥63 billion are initially expected to be allocated to support the agency’s activities.