# Top 45 Finance Angel Investors in Japan in May 2026

## Nobuhiro Ariyasu
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 6
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Content, Internet, Finance

Nobuhiro Ariyasu is the CEO at Coach United.

## Shintaro Yamada
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 4
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Internet, Finance, Information Technology

During his years at Waseda University, Shintaro worked at Japan’s biggest e-commerce mall, Rakuten, Inc. On August 1st 2001, Shintaro established “Unoh Inc.” after graduating university. At Unoh he was responsible for designing and developing several web services, one of which was the online magazine subscription . Services provided by Unohinclude planning, development and management of the film enthusiast community site “Movie Life” (acquired by PIA Corporation) as well as “Sugu.CC” , “NeoAd” (both acquired by GMOAP) and the photo sharing site “Photozou” (acquired by Digital Garage).In 2009 Unoh entered into social gaming, creating multiple successful social games. Among these games, “Machitsuku!” has been its biggest hit with over 5 million users. On August 3rd 2010, Unoh joined Zynga and Shintaro became General Manager of Zynga Japan. He resigned on January 2012. After traveling around the world, He established the new company “Mercari, Inc.” on February 2013 and released the resale shopping app “Mercari” on July 2013 in Japan.He is a true Internet geek, spending a lot of time on the Internet and boasts around 180,000 followers on Twitter.

## Kotaro Chiba
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 4
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Internet, Content, Software

Kotaro Chiba is the founder of ChibaDojo Fund. Kotaro Chiba attended Keio University.

## Yu Akasaka
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 3
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Food and Beverage, Content, Internet

During Hosei University student, and intern at Hakuhodo C & D. After joining the Image-net, I do media monetization of EC site as a media planner. Then, new business, engaged in Alliance. Launched a crowdsourcing site "MILLION DESIGNS" of design in the individual, sold to Ransazu Corporation. Established the Eureka Co., Ltd., wasappointed Representative Director CEO.

## Kazuma Ieiri
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Content, Fashion, Recruiting

Born in 1978 and raised in Fukuoka prefecture, Kazuma founded paperboy&co. inc. (currently GMO Pepabo) and went on to become the youngest CEO ever (at the time) to take a company public in Japan by taking paperboy&co. public on the JASDAQ Japanese stock exchange. After leaving paperboy&co, he continued his startup trail by foundingBASE, CAMPFIRE, and XIMERA. Kazuma also dabbled in the food services industry via the founding of On The Corner (a cafe) and is active in the startup investment scene. He also started the Liverty-house project which attempts to create shared housing for young people in need.

## Ryota Matsuzaki
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Marketing, Finance, Advertising

Ryota Matsuzaki - CEO and Founder @ Kibidango, Inc.

## Hirofumi Miki
- Type: Angel
- Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Content, Marketing, Internet

After JTB Co., Ltd. and CYBIRD Co., Ltd. as an initial member of Glee Co., Ltd. is responsible for business development. Currently, he is mainly engaged in venture support in the Internet area, investing in venture and venture capital, and served as management advisor for dozens of companies. Hands-on business development, growth strategydevelopment, financing advice, HR organization design support, partner referral and Recruit Support. He is also engaged in business support for ventures in the healthcare and university venture fields. He served as Digital Health Meetup Advisor, NEDOTCP Mentor and Future 2016 Mentor.

## Yuzuru Honda
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: SNS, Internet, Software

Yuzuru Honda is a Founder & Global CEO of FreakOut.

## Ayataro Nakagawa
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Internet, Software, Information Technology

2011 At university, participated in the founding period as a director of Atcole Co., Ltd., and started the web service experience.2012 Founded Peroli Co., Ltd.,
which operates a curation platform for women "MERY" .2014 Founded Peroli
Co., Ltd. Sold to DeNA
2015 Jointly established Tokyo Founders Fund as an angel investor and startedinvesting in startups in Japan and overseas
2019 Appointed outside director of FIREBUG Co., Ltd.

## Daisaku Harada
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Finance, Tourism, Automotive

Daisaku Harada is the Director of Management Strategy at Mercari. Daisaku attended Chuo University.

## Jun Nishikawa
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Angel
- Focus: Media and Entertainment, Mobile, Content

Jun Nishikawa - Co-founder, Executive Vice President, COO @ eureka, Inc.

## Yusuke Asakura
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Finance, Internet, Consulting

Yusuke Asakura is an entrepreneur, a businessman, a venture investor, a scholar and the co-founder of Signifiant Inc. At Signifiant, Yusuke manages a ¥20 billion growth fund “THE FUND” aimed at growth-stage startups.

## Yoshifumi Seki
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Finance, Security, Logistics

Yoshifumi Seki is the Senior Researcher and Co-Founder at Gunosy.

## Toru Shimada
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Task Management, Manufacturing, Content

Toru Shimada is a Senior Executive Officer and Director of Rakuten. Mr. Shimada is a Director of Rakuten Baseball, Inc., and Head of Asia Regional Headquarters Office of the Company.Mr. Shimada joined Rakuten in 2004. Prior to joining Rakuten, Mr. Shimada was founder and Director of INTELLIGENCE, LTD from 1989 to 2004. Prior to INTELLIGENCE, LTD.Mr. Shimada worked at RECRUIT CO., LTD. from 1987 to 1989.

## Masahiko Inada
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Angel, Seed
- Focus: SNS, Content, Finance

Masahiko Inada is the Venture Advisor at DNX Ventures. He was Founder and Chairman at Kabuku Inc. He attended The University of Tokyo.

## Tatsuo Sakamoto
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Education, Task Management, Recruiting

Tatsuo Sakamoto

## Shigeru Urushibara
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A, Seed, Angel
- Focus: Task Management, Artificial Intelligence, Social Media

Shigeru Urushibara - President & CEO @ UL Systems

## Ryan Collins
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A, Seed
- Focus: Financial Services, Health Care, FinTech

Ryan Collins is the Founder & Managing Director of MassMutual Ventures Southeast Asia (MMV SEA) & he attended National University of Singapore in 2014.

## Mochio Umeda
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: FinTech, Finance, Education

Mochio Umeda's visionary insights combined with his firsthand knowledge and experience in Silicon Valley are highly regarded among CEOs of large Japanese IT companies. As an opinion leader in the industry, he plays a key role in introducing the "Silicon Valley high growth mechanism" into the management thinking of those companies inJapan.Mochio is a co-founder of the Pacifica Fund and the founder and president of MUSE Associates, a strategy and business consulting firm to the Japanese IT industry established in Palo Alto, California, in 1997. Before starting MUSE, he was one of the founding directors of Arthur D. Little's Silicon Valley office. Mochio is also a leading commentator on IT industry in the Japanese press, with countless published articles in Japan's primary business publications, including Chuo Koron, Nikkei Business, Nikkei Personal Computing and Foresight. He is the author of the book "How Silicon Valley Changed Me" (Shincho-sha, 2001) and a contributing author of, "A Strategic Planning Roadmap" (Diamond Business Press, 1991) and "The Computer Industry's High Return Revolution" (Diamond Business Press, 1993).Mochio holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Keio University and a Master of Information Science from the University of Tokyo.

## Yuichi Kawasaki
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Angel, Seed
- Focus: CRM, Finance, Security

Yuichi Kawasaki Prior joining SmartNews, I was COO at mixi, Founder & CEO at kamado, Executive Vice President at Hatena. I started my career at Cisco Systems G.K.

## Mamoru Taniya
- Type: Angel
- Location: Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Apps, Content, FinTech

After graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo, he joined Solomon Brothers, where he became the youngest managing director in Asia, where he was in charge of Asian investment. After that, he created one of the largest independent Asuka assets. He also launched Japan's first independent online life insurance company,LifeNet Life Insurance, and inspired Japan's first International.

## Taizo Son
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Angel
- Focus: Financial Services, Information Technology, Venture Capital

Taizo Son - Co-Founder @ VIVITA

## Teruhide Sato
- Type: Angel
- Location: Singapore, Central Region, Singapore
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series B, Series A
- Focus: E-Commerce, Internet, Marketplace

Teruhide Sato is President and Group CEO of netprice.com, Ltd., a global internet and e-commerce business incubator group (Tokyo Stock Exchange 3328). Lead the group to deliver the latest experience in online shopping across Japan, US, Europe and Asia. Strongly believe in the power of entrepreneurship.

## Masaru Sunagawa
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Artificial Intelligence, SNS, Music

After joining Mitsubishi Corporation, he studied at Harvard Business School. After graduating, he joined Globespan Capital Partners, an independent United States VC, and worked as a director of investment. He started LocationValue after the company's representative in Japan. Joined Google after selling the company to NTT DOCOMO. He served asDirector of Product Development for Google Maps and General Manager for Android. He left Google in February 2018 and started Smartround Co., Ltd. in May.

## Shuichi Takenaga
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Information Technology, Management Consulting, Marketing

Takenaga Shuuichi is an individual investor.

## Sagehashi Yuki
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Angel, Seed
- Focus: Content, FinTech, Finance

Sagehashi Yuki

## Taiga Matsuyama
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A
- Focus: Software, E-Commerce, Internet

Taiga Matsuyama graduated form Waseda University, Matsuyama has been engaged in venture company support for more than ten years in Tokyo, after experience as a consultant at Accenture.Matsuyama became one of the board member of NetAge, Inc (IPO 2006), start-up incubator known by having invested in MIXI – Japanese top SNS and support severalstart-up companies.He also has contributed to the activity for create the start-up eco-system in Tokyo through the NPO Organization BVA (Bit Valley Association). Currently he has established Kronos Fund with angel investors, venture capital fund for investment in emerging early-stage companies.Kronos Fund has invested in more than 20 companies.

## Kentaro Sakakibara
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Finance, Crowdfunding, Financial Services

"At early stage of Axive.com, currently EC navi , ｈe tackled started up Sales department, Alliance & Sales strategy and ads product development. He joined Dentsu wonderman next, and performed direct marketing strategy to big communication companies, drink companies and financial institutes. Then, He was back to EC navi again, and workedfor started up West ads sales branch and Mobile site, reconstruction of Sales department and so on.In 2008, He launched Samurai Incubate Inc. specified for early ventures’ management, marketing, sales,human resource,and finance support. His company invests start up ventures and he also holds the posts of external director of some venture companies."

## Gaku Saito
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Finance, Cryptocurrency, Asset Management

Graduated from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Engineering , Graduate School of Engineering 2007 Graduated from the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Engineering
April 2007 Joined Goldman Sachs Securities. He is engaged in a variety of investments, from non-performing loan investment, private equity investment, real estate investment toship investment, in the strategic investment department, which is a proprietary investment team.
May 2010 Moved to Goldman Sachs Investment Partners to become an investor at his own discretion. Participate in a global hedge fund with total assets of over 800 billion yen, and as a hedge fund manager, invest and manage up to 80 billion portfolios in stocks, bonds, foreign exchange, interest rates, CDS, derivatives, loans, etc.
February 2019 Appointed Cryptact Co., Ltd.

## Yamazaki Reijiro
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Angel
- Focus: CRM, Finance, Security

Yamazaki Reijiro - Chairman @ Anymarry

## Edward Ronkowski
- Type: Angel
- Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: FinTech, Finance, Financial Services

Edward Ronkowski

## Toshiro Wakimaru
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Task Management, Food and Beverage, SNS

Toshiro “Tosh” Wakimaru is the Chief Operating Officer of MedPeer, Inc. , Tokyo, Japan since May 2010. Medpeer is the “Medical Doctor Exclusive” SNS in Japan that has just successfully gone to the market in 2014.Prior to the current job, Tosh had been actively working for Price Waterhouse Consulting, Japan LLP (now IBM Japan, Ltd.) aftergraduating from the Boston University School of Management in 1996. While there he completed numerous projects in corporate strategy, operation improvement, and new business development focusing on the retail, service, and healthcare industries with a secondment to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

## Yusuke Sato
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Internet, Content, Food and Beverage

Yusuke Sato is the Co-Representative and Co-Founder at Pulit.

## Tomohito Ebine
- Type: Angel
- Location: Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A
- Focus: Home Services, Information Technology, Consulting

Tomohito Ebine is non-executive Director at Owls Co., Ltd.

## Shunsuke Sasaki
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Social Media, Content, SNS

Shunsuke Sasaki - Executive officer @ Jiraffe

## Daisuke Takanashi
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: SNS, Content, Finance

Daisuke Takanashi is an angel investor.

## Tomohiro Kinoshita
- Type: Angel
- Location: Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1

Tomohiro Kinoshita - President @ Campanio

## Tomokaz Saito
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Angel
- Focus: Finance, Security, Blockchain

Tomokaz Saito - Corporate Legal Manager @ Mercari

## Mizuki Inoue
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: CRM, Finance, Security

Mizuki Inoue - Director @ Kudan

## Daisuke Yanagisawa
- Type: Angel
- Location: Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Angel
- Focus: Finance, Financial Services, Small and Medium Businesses

Daisuke Yanagisawa - Founder & CEO @ KAYAC

## Takeshi Natsuno
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Angel, Series A
- Focus: Financial Services, Music, Venture Capital

Mr. Takeshi Natsuno serves as the Chairman of Japan Operations at Great Wall Club. Mr. Natsuno is a Professor of KEIO University. He served as a General Manager of Consumer Services Division and Manager of Distribution Platform Business Development Division at Pia Corporation since April 2012 and served as its Chief of Sales Promotion Bureau sinceApril 2010. He joined DoCoMo in 1997. He served as the Managing Director of Multimedia Services, Products & Services Division for NTT DoCoMo Inc. until June 23, 2009 and served as its General Manager of i-Mode Planning Division since July 2001, Senior Vice President from June 21, 2005 to June 23, 2009, Executive Officer and General Manager Multimedia Service Division since June 2005. At NTT DoCoMo, he developed the business strategy of all of NTT DoCoMo’s multimedia-related services, including i-mode strategic alliances with global application/content providers and key Internet players. He served as Vice President of Hyper Net Co., Ltd. since June 1996. He started his career with Tokyo Gas. He held key executive positions with HyperNet. He has been a Director of Dwango Co. Ltd., since December 1, 2008. He has been a Outside Director at Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. since June 2008. He has been a Director at Pia Corporation since April 2010. He serves as a Director of D.L.E Co. Ltd. He has been a Director of Gree, Inc. since September 2009 and Trans Cosmos, Inc. since 2008. He serves as a Director of GREE Ventures, Inc. He serves as a Member of Advisory Board at Great Wall Club. He served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of SBI Holdings Inc. from June 27, 2008 to June 28, 2012. He served as a Director of Hyper Net Co., Ltd. since June 1996. He is the Author of i-mode Strategy, published in 2000, a la i-mode, published in 2002, Keitai-no-Mirai, published in 2006, Iccho-yen kaseida otokono shigotojutu, and Google ni izonshi Amazon wo maneru bakakigyou published in 2009. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Economics from Waseda University, Japan in 1988 and an Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1995.

## Kiyoshi Nishikawa
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed
- Focus: News, Social Media, Big Data

After working at KDD Corporation （Currently known as KDDI Corporation）, Kiyoshi Nishikawa next went to work at Arthur D. Little Inc. in the United States, where he became inspired to start his own company. After returning to Japan, he established a Japanese corporation of the world’s largest Internet company, America On Line, LLC. Later andbased on this experience and the relationships he developed, he founded the first Internet business incubator, NETAGE, Inc. After serving as the President and CEO of NETAGE Group, he later became and still serves as the Chairman of ngi group, inc. Kiyoshi was one of the main entrepreneurs responsible for proposing and realization of “Shibuya Bit Valley Concept” and is well known for his various speeches and writings. He is a graduate of the Department of Education at Tokyo University.

## Kensuke Furukawa
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Content, Media and Entertainment, Software

Kensuke Furukawa was born in June 2, 1981. He graduated Waseda University majoring Political Science and Economics, and in 2000, he launched "Milkcafe", a student community, which has grown to a site with 10 million PV per month. In 2004, he became the CEO of Media Clip, which operates a rental bulletin board service "ShitarabaBBS". After that year, he had transfer "Shitaraba BBS" to Livedoor, and took charge of starting up the Consumer Generated Media sector. In 2006, he joined Recruit, and took charge of starting up a new business at Business development sector. In June of 2009, he left Recruit, and became the CEO of nanapi （formerly Rocket Start), which operates the How-to Site "nanapi".

## Takao Ozawa
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Angel
- Focus: News, E-Commerce, B2B

Takao is the former CEO of YJ Capital. He is also the President of Shopping Company at Yahoo Japan. Prior to Yahoo, he founded Bizseek, Inc. in 1999 which was acquired by Rakuten, Inc. in 2001. He joined Rakuten after the acquisition and was the Corporate Officer in charge of auctions. During his career in Rakuten, he was engaged in projects suchas formation of Rakuten Eagles. He left Rakuten in 2006 and founded Ozawa Research Institute where he enhanced business in areas such as investments to start-up companies and consulting. In 2011, he founded Crocos, Inc. which was sold to Yahoo Japan in 2012. As an angel investor, he invested/founded companies like nanapi, Appgrooves, STARFESTIVAL, Crocos, Netage and many others.

## Masanori Sugiyama
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A
- Focus: Software, Internet, Media and Entertainment

He graduated from Kansai University in 1988. He was enrolled in Ljoma while he was in college. 2002 Vice President of Practice (now index lights). In 2004, he became president of zappallas. Listed on the TSE Mothers in the second year of his appointment, and in 2010 he was listed in part of the TSE. In 2011 he became the CEO of enish. Listed on apart of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Thereafter, he served as outside directors such as Nikkatsu and JibannetHD.

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