Events

[Japan Weeks 2026] Japan’s New Exit Era: Rethinking Alternative Investments Growth Beyond IPOs

Japan’s alternative investment ecosystem is entering a new phase of growth and transformation. Following the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s revised listing requirements, portfolio companies and fund managers are increasingly rethinking traditional IPO-driven exit strategies and exploring alternative pathways such as M&A and secondary transactions.

Against this backdrop, this event brings together alternative investment leaders, fund operators, finance professionals, and international investors to discuss how the market is evolving and what it means for the future of venture investing in Japan.

The event will explore the shifting dynamics of liquidity, valuation, fund operations, and cross-border opportunities, while offering practical insights into how GPs, fund controllers, and ecosystem stakeholders can adapt to a changing investment environment. Through two focused panel discussions, attendees will gain perspectives from industry leaders on the future of exits, operational challenges, and the growing role of international capital in Japan’s innovation economy.

Agenda

2:00 PM	Registration and Welcome Reception
2:30 PM	Panel Discussion 1 (Japanese) Beyond the ¥10Bn IPO: How Japan’s Alternative Investment Exit Playbook Is Changing The impact of Tokyo Stock Exchange reforms on startups, growth companies and buyout target Why traditional IPO pathways are becoming less viable for privately held companies across the growth spectrum The growing importance of M&A and secondary transactions How GPs are adapting portfolio and exit strategies What international investors and acquirers are watching in Japan Moderator: Miki Ito, Vice President, Strategic Operations & Investor Relations, Minerva Growth Partners Panelists: Gregory R. Hara, Chief Executive and Managing Partner, JSTAR Co. Takahiro Kanzaki, Founder & CEO, Kepple Group Inc. Takeshi Onishi, Partner, WiL (World Innovation Lab)
3:15 PM	Networking Break
3:30 PM	Panel Discussion 2 (English) Fund Operations in the New Alternatives Investments Environment How fund operations and back-office infrastructure are adapting to longer alternative investment hold periods Evolving best practices to support NAV facilities, continuation vehicles, and structured transactions What cross-border fund administration, compliance, and regulatory reporting require in a multi-jurisdiction environment How fund controllers and finance teams are scaling as structures grow more complex Where technology and automation fit into modernizing fund operations for alternative investment vehicles Moderator: Henry Lin, Founder and CEO, Linnovate Asset Servicing Group Panelists: Ken Kuga, Founder and CEO, Diagonal, Inc. Nariatsu Tanaka, Director of Investor Relations, Endeavour United Co., Ltd. Yucheng Fan, Partner, Harney’s Funds & Asset Management group
4:15 PM	Networking Cocktail Reception
6:00 PM	Event Ends