# Top 50 Marketplace Angel Investors in Japan in May 2026

## Kotaro Chiba
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 8
- 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: 8
- 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.

## Yusuke Sato
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 6
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Internet, Content, Food and Beverage

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

## Hidetoshi Takano
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 4
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Internet, Information Technology, Media and Entertainment

Joined Intelligence in 1999. Established Key Players Inc. in 2005. Consultation with more than 3,000 managers and career counseling for more than 10,000 individuals. In addition, we have invested in more than 55 outside directors, advisors and angels in Silicon Valley and Bangladesh in Japan. Over 100 lectures on careers, entrepreneurship andstartups.

## Ayataro Nakagawa
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 4
- 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.

## Naruhisa Nakagawa
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 3
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Manufacturing, Beauty, Environmental Consulting

Naruhisa Nakagawa is a Founder & Chief Investment Officer at Caygan Capital.

## Shintaro Yamada
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 3
- 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.

## Kazuma Ieiri
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 3
- 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.

## Takaya Shinozuka
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 3
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A
- Focus: Internet, Local, Advertising

Takaya Shinozuka is the President, CEO, and Founder at Reiwa Travel.

## Hirofumi Miki
- Type: Angel
- Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan
- Relevant deals: 3
- 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.

## Kazuhiro Ishikura
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 3
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Beauty, Content, Fashion

Kazuhiro Ishikura served as the head of the Akatsuki Business Management Department in 2013 and as a corporate auditor of Akatsuki in 2014, contributing to the company's listing on the TSE Mothers and TSE 1st sections. Appointed 3minute CFO in 2015, engaged in business start-up and organizational design, and succeeded in large-scale M & Adeal with Glee. After leaving the company, he became a WARC director in November 2018. Certified public accountant.

## Kensuke Furukawa
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 3
- 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".

## Keisuke Kogure
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Beauty, Women's, Wellness

Keisuke Kogure - General Partner @ TLM

## 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.

## Richard Chen
- Type: Angel
- Location: San Francisco, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Mobile, Software, Advertising

Richard Chen is a General Partner at 1confirmation and a Board Director at Hatena Co. Ltd. Before that, he was a Trustee at UC Berkeley Foundation. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business and the University of California, Berkeley.

## Toru Shimada
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 2
- 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.

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

Yuzuru Honda is a Founder & Global CEO of FreakOut.

## Yasuyuki Kin
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Media and Entertainment, Information Technology, Career Planning

Yasuyuki Kin

## Naoki Aoyagi
- Type: Angel
- Location: San Francisco, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A
- Focus: Internet, Fashion, Software

Naoki Aoyagi is a Senior Vice President at GREE, Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of GREE International, Inc. He joined GREE, Inc. in March 2006 from Deutsche Bank, where he had specialized in tech and media sector IPOs and M&A advisory work. At GREE, Aoyagi oversaw the Company's partnership with KDDI and its IPO before leading thedevelopment of GREE’s global operations, a role he continues today. Aoyagi earned a bachelor's degree in policy management from Keio University in 2002.

## Soichiro Kawai
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Media and Entertainment, Information Technology, Internet

Soichiro Kawai - CEO @ ReBoost

## Tsunezawa Kahoko
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Shopping, Apps, Travel

Tsunezawa Kahoko

## Masaru Tange
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Internet, E-Commerce, SaaS

Masaru Tange graduated from Kyoto University and joined Incs Inc. in 2000 where he started their IT business and strategy consulting group with only 2 members and developed it into the company's main business with a team of 140 consultants with annual revenue of $50M in 5 years. He then founded SHIFT Inc in 2005 in his studio apartment. He wasthe only employee. The business world wasn't very kind to him - he made no revenue for a while but he kept experimenting with the business model listening to the needs of customers. In 2009, he finally found traction in the "software testing industry." In 2014, Masaru successfully IPO'ed the company. Shift now has 500 employees.

## Mamoru Taniya
- Type: Angel
- Location: Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
- Relevant deals: 2
- 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.

## Christine Herron
- Type: Angel
- Location: San Francisco, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
- Focus: E-Commerce, Personalization, Social Media

Christine Herron is an early-stage investor and diversity advocate, and co-leads the Intel Capital Diversity Fund while leading investments in early-stage companies. She is responsible for diversity investing across Intel Capital sectors, to support technology companies founded or run by women, underrepresented minorities, LGBTQ, or veterans. AtIntel, Christine's direct portfolio includes 500 Friends (ACQ: Merkle), betaworks, Brit Media, E la Carte, Funders Club, Goldbely, Jelli, Movable Ink, SmartZip, Storenvy (ACQ: OpenSky), Two Bit Circus, and Yummly (ACQ: WHR), and Intel Education Accelerator companies Comprendio, Immersed Games, Sutori, and Vidcode.Previously, Christine was an investor with seed stage venture fund First Round Capital, working with Better Finance, Double Verify, Get Satisfaction (ACQ: Sprinklr), Mint (ACQ: INTU), and Xobni (ACQ: YHOO). At Omidyar Network, she developed the Media and Web 2.0 practice strategy and led deals such as Common Sense Media and Socialtext.At Geocapital Partners, Christine focused on early Internet and network technology, leading Series A funding for AXON Networks (ACQ: 3COM), D-Vision (ACQ: ADSK), FocusVision (MBO), Netcom (IPO: NETC), and ViaGrafix (IPO: VIAX). Christine was also a founder or early employee at GiftWorks (ACQ: FrontStream), Mercury2, and NetObjects (IPO: NETC).Christine earned an MBA from Stanford University and a BA from Columbia University. She is a founding advisor or mentor to 500 Startups, Bullpen Capital, and StartX, and serves on Alonzo King's LINES Ballet Board of Directors. She is active on @christine and a frequent speaker.

## Shintaro Tabata
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A
- Focus: Sharing Economy, Audio, Content

Shintaro Tabata - Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Sales @ Line

## Yusuke Tanaka
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Tourism, Consulting, E-Commerce

"Shin"ichiro joined Yahoo Japan in April 2013. From July 2013, he joined YJ Capital. He has served as COO of YJ Capital since January 2015. Prior to Yahoo! Japan, Shin was General Director of Dream Incubator Vietnam from 2007 to 2012, managing US$50 million private equity funds in Vietnam. He was formerly a Project Manager at DreamIncubator Japan. He started his career at Future Architect as a system engineer.Shin received his bachelor's degree in Policy Management from Keio University.

## Sachin Bhatia
- Type: Angel
- Location: Delhi, Delhi, India
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
- Focus: E-Commerce, Food and Beverage, Travel

Sachin Bhatia - CEO & Co-founder @ Bulbulive Shopping Network

## Soga Takeshi
- Type: Angel
- Location: Nerima, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Music, Mobile, Content

Soga Takeshi

## Hayama Takashi
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: SNS, Beauty, Medical

Hayama Takashi - Outside Director @ Eco Style

## Keith Yuki Isobe
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Series C
- Focus: Advertising, SaaS, Information Technology

Keith Yuki Isobe is an Investor and Managing Director (#VentureCapital | Digital Garage Group TSE4819 ). Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Geniee International Group, President and COO at Adstars and President Director at Geniee Technolody Indonesia (TSE6562 A Member of SoftBank Group). Prior to that, he was BoardDirector and CFO of MEDCARE, a Next-Unicorn HealthcareTech and Board Director of Waseda M&A Partners, a Startup Programmatic M&As.
Contact Email Addresses: yuki-isobe@garage.co.jp (DG Ventures at Digital Garage TSE4819)

## Shohei Sasaki
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel
- Focus: Content, Fashion, Consulting

Shohei Sasaki - CFO @ LeapMind

## Narimatsu Jun
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A
- Focus: SEO, Mobile, Content

Narimatsu Jun - Outside Director @ FiNC Technologies

## Fumiaki Koizumi
- Type: Angel
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Internet, E-Commerce, Content

Fumiaki Koizumi - Executive Director @ Mercari

## Maneesh Arora
- Type: Angel
- Location: San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Mobile, Internet, Mobile Apps

Maneesh Arora is CEO & co-founder of MightyText. He is a product builder who previously worked at Google and Zynga.

## Kiyohiro Sugashita
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Marketing, Travel, Media and Entertainment

Mr. Sugashita joined Polaris as Advisor in May 2011. He is Director and CEO of Sugashita Partners, Ltd since 1998 and provides consulting services to financial institutions and ventures in and outside of Japan. Prior to that position, he was CEO of Lazard Japan Asset Management from 1991 to 1998. His business career also includes positions at DaiwaSecurities and Merrill Lynch Securities, Tokyo Branch. On the academic front, Mr. Sugashita received a BA in Economics from Ritsumeikan University and since 2009 is Special Advisor for the Dean of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.

## Yoshikazu Azuma
- Type: Angel
- Location: Minato, Chiba, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A
- Focus: Retail, Security, Marketing

Yoshikazu Azuma - Representative Director and CEO @ TWO

## Hiroaki Kitano
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Angel, Debt Financing
- Focus: Health Care, Information Technology, Fitness

Hiroaki Kitano is the SVP at Softbank Mobile. He attended Waseda University.

## Yasumasa Manabe
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Information Technology, Drones, Big Data

Yasumasa Manabe

## Takato Hiroshi
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Angel
- Focus: Health Care, Legal, Beauty

Takato Hiroshi - CEO @ M0mentum

## Niklas Eklund
- Type: Angel
- Location: Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Angel
- Focus: Software, Apps, Internet

Over the past 25 years, Niklas has an entrepreneur built and internationalized a range of companies in the area of reservation systems, revenue management, online marketing, and web publishing; amongst others he was the CEO and co-founder Bookatable, Livebookings, Infogate, and Epani.Over the past 8 years, Niklas has a direct investor and advisorto investment companies and venture capital companies; amongst others he was a co-founder and general partner at D-Ax (Axel Johnson Group CVC), a venture partner for Wellington Partners Venture Capital. Niklas is currently a general partner for PES Holdings. Investment focus is the Digital Media Sector and Digital Growth Companies, primarily in the Nordic countries and across Europe. Niklas describes himself as a ‘computer software geek and wizard turned businessman’ as he started his career at the age of 15.
His achievements in building internationally successful companies have been recognized by various industry awards.

## Toshi Yamamoto
- Type: Angel
- Location: Sunnyvale, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Apps, Beauty, Health Care

Toshi Yamamoto is an entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley as CEO of ChatWork Japan and US.In 2000, Toshi bootstrapped a business of web marketing and software sales, and made it profitable for the past 12 years.In 2012, Toshi decided to drive all the resources to focus on its own service, ChatWork, set up a US office and moved to SiliconValley. Toshi changed the company name from EC studio to ChatWork at that time.Toshi has also written three books that have been ranked as #1 of all books on Amazon.co.jp.

## John Tan
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Software, Internet, Travel

John Tan - Founder @ Controlled Commodity

## Dan Neary
- Type: Angel
- Location: Singapore, Central Region, Singapore
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: News, Events, Travel

Dan Neary is a Vice President of Asia Pacific at Meta. He attended DePaul University.

## David Lloyd
- Type: Angel
- Location: London, England, United Kingdom
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Pre-Seed
- Focus: E-Commerce

David Lloyd - General Manager, UK, Netherlands & Nordics @ Alibaba Group

## Will Neale
- Type: Angel
- Location: London, England, United Kingdom
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed
- Focus: FinTech, Financial Services, Software

Founder (Grabyo, Fonix). Investor.

## Sakano Atsushi
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series B
- Focus: Medical, Nursing and Residential Care, SaaS

Sakano Atsushi

## Abdo Achkar
- Type: Angel
- Location: Stanford, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed, Series B
- Focus: B2B, SaaS, Artificial Intelligence

Abdo Achkar is the Founder & CEO at Sowlutions.

## Hisayoshi Mizutani
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: E-Commerce, Health Care

Hisayoshi Mizutani - President & CEO @ vivit

## Eiko Matsumura
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Apps, Beauty, Health Care

Eiko Matsumura - President / CEO @ BASKET

## 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.

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