Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) announces today the establishment of a dedicated “Panel of Experts on FinTech Start-ups”.
In its announcement, the securities regulator notes that advanced FinTech start-ups and venture capitalists have not necessarily emerged in Japan when compared with the situation in other advanced economies. The FSA adds that in order to promote FinTech start-ups’ growth and success regardless of borders, it is important to establish an ecosystem in which a range of professionals–such as those who specialize in technologies (like researchers and engineers) and those who specialize in business development (such as enterprises, fund providers, and law and accounting experts) – gather. Thus, FinTech start-ups are set to emerge and grow through the collaboration of such professionals.
The initial list of members includes:
- Joichi Ito, director, MIT Media Lab;
- Yasunori Kaneko, managing director, Skyline Ventures;
- Soichi Kariyazono, chair, Japan Venture Capital Association;
- Tomotaka Goji, managing partner, University of Tokyo Edge Capital Co., Ltd.
- Toshio Taki, COO, Money Forward, Inc.
- Masaaki Tanaka, senior advisor, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.
- Masaaki Nakatsu, co-founder and CEO, Orb, Inc.
- Shin-ichi Fukuda, professor, Graduate School of Economics, University of Tokyo (chair);
- Yutaka Matsuo, associate professor, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo.
The first meeting of the panel is scheduled for May 16, 2016.
For the full announcement on the expert panel formation, click here.