Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi renewed the government’s backing for startups and Web3 during a video address at the WebX 2026 conference in Tokyo. She linked Japan’s Web3 growth to stronger startup funding, regulatory relief, and broader investor access, describing the event as a meeting place for founders, investors, and companies exploring practical blockchain applications. Organizers expected about 15,000 participants, placing WebX among Asia’s largest Web3 gatherings.
Takaichi pointed to the Comprehensive Startup Support Package, prepared in May 2025, which strengthens the Five-Year Startup Development Plan adopted in 2022. The plan aims to raise annual startup investment to roughly 10 trillion yen by fiscal 2027, with longer-term targets of 100 unicorns and 100,000 startups. It calls for more capital from government-backed funds and financial institutions, plus regulatory changes to help young companies grow. While no timetable was given, the address signaled continued policy momentum.
Japan is also advancing crypto-specific reforms. Lawmakers have been pushing a bill that could apply a 20% tax rate to crypto gains and create a path for domestic crypto exchange-traded funds, potentially from 2028. Private programs are adding support: Ripple and Web3 Salon, backed by the Japan External Trade Organization, offer grants of up to $200,000 for Japanese teams building on the XRP Ledger, targeting payments, tokenized assets, and decentralized finance. These operate independently of the government package but illustrate public-private collaboration.
The Prime Minister’s appearance follows a tradition: former PMs Fumio Kishida (2024) and Shigeru Ishiba (2025) also addressed WebX, showing consistent official engagement with the industry. Takaichi said government measures and conference platforms could jointly encourage new business creation, adding that “Japan’s innovation ecosystem will develop further.” Implementation, however, remains with ministries and financial regulators.
