There are many excellent technology companies in Japan, from listed companies to fast-growing companies.
In this article, introduce notable companies that you should be aware of when researching Japanese companies.
【Listed company】Japan technology companies
TOYOTA
Toyota Motor Corporation is one of Japan’s leading automobile manufacturers, and develops passenger cars, trucks, buses, HVs, EVs, and hydrogen vehicles in all directions.
It has gained market share not only in Japan but also in various continents such as North America, the EU, and Asia, making it the Japanese company with the highest global recognition.
In addition to manufacturing cars, the company is also involved in:
- Toyota is working to create a comfortable and sustainable city of the future by making the most of its technology and knowledge on the former factory site. In that city, new services will be provided that utilize self-driving cars, artificial intelligence, and robot technology.
- Capital tie-up with joby aviation, a leading flying car company in the U.S., to build a structure for research and development and mass production of flying cars.
SONY
Sony is a diversified company that deals with various electronic devices, entertainment products, and security systems. Below are some of the representative businesses:
- Electronics Product Business:
Sony develops, manufactures, and sells electronic products such as TVs, smartphones, laptops, digital cameras, and PlayStation. - Game and Network Services Business:
Sony provides home game consoles such as “PlayStation” and offers smartphone game apps. Additionally, it provides network services such as online stores and music streaming services. - Movie and Music Business:
Sony owns a movie studio, Columbia Pictures, and a music label, Sony Music Entertainment. - Security and Professional Services Business:
Sony also offers security systems such as surveillance cameras and video monitoring systems, and professional services such as broadcast equipment and medical equipment. - Financial Services Business:
Sony has Sony Financial Holdings as a subsidiary, which provides financial services such as credit cards, life insurance, and investment trusts.
Through these businesses, Sony provides diverse products and services to customers worldwide.
In the past, the company has suffered from poor performance, but in 2021 it has achieved operating income of 1 trillion yen and has made a complete comeback.
HITACHI
Hitachi, Ltd. is a comprehensive electronics manufacturer that develops a wide range of businesses, including information and communications, energy, construction, automobiles, and industrial machinery. Our main business is summarized below.
- Information & Telecommunications Business: Provides ICT solutions such as system integration, cloud services, and network solutions
- Power and energy business: Provides power and energy related products and services such as power generation facilities, power transmission and distribution systems, and infrastructure solutions.
- Smart life business: Provides products such as home appliances, office equipment, and business equipment
- Automotive Systems Business: Provides automotive parts, in-vehicle equipment, in-vehicle systems, etc.
- Infrastructure Systems Business: Providing social infrastructure-related products and services such as railway systems, transportation systems, road systems, and water treatment systems
- High-tech business: Providing high-tech related products and services such as semiconductors, displays, storage, and medical equipment
Panasonic
Panasonic is a Japanese manufacturer and diversified company that deals in consumer electronics, housing equipment, auto parts and industrial equipment. The main business is as follows.
- AVC Networks: Home appliances such as TVs and digital cameras
- Life Solutions: Housing equipment, solar power generation systems, air conditioning equipment, etc.
- Connected Solutions: IoT-related products, smart home products, etc.
Automotive parts business: Batteries for EVs, engine-related parts, drive recorders, etc. - Industrial Solutions: Machine tools, industrial electronic components, information system solutions, etc.
FANUC
FANUC is an industrial robot manufacturer that develops, manufactures, and sells machine tools and industrial robots.
In the industrial robot market, as of 2021, the company has a global share of about 26.2% based on the number of units shipped, and occupies the top position in the industry.
For example, FANUC industrial robots are used in the following fields.
- Automobile industry:
Used in automobile production lines for car body assembly, painting, welding, inspection, and other operations. - Electronic device industry:
Used for assembly of substrates, mounting of electronic components, inspection, etc. in the manufacturing line of electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and personal computers. - General industry:
Used for product packaging, loading onto pallets, automation of logistics operations, etc. on production lines for food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc.
NTT
NTT is a Japanese telecommunications company that operates in the following businesses:
- Communication services:
NTT East, NTT West, and NTT Communications provide fixed-line, mobile phone, and internet services. - ICT solutions:
NTT provides information system design, construction, operation, and maintenance services to enterprises. They also offer services in security measures and cloud services. - System integration:
NTT provides information system design, construction, operation, and maintenance services to enterprises. - Smart city:
NTT provides energy efficiency and traffic optimization services by combining urban infrastructure and ICT technology. - Data center: NTT provides data center operation and cloud service provision services to enterprises.
- Platform: NTT aims to create new businesses in fields such as voice recognition technology and artificial intelligence.
NTT has a high market share in the telecommunications industry in Japan and is focusing on providing new services utilizing ICT technology.
NTT DATA
NTT DATA is a leading information technology services company in Japan with the following businesses:
- System integration business:
Providing services such as design, construction, operation and maintenance of information systems for companies - Business consulting business:
Consulting services for solving business issues, such as improving corporate operations and formulating IT strategies - Outsourcing business
A service in which NTT DATA acts on behalf of part or all of the business owned by a company - Cloud service business:
Providing data and applications on the cloud for enterprises - AI (artificial intelligence) business: We provide services that utilize AI technology, such as big data analysis and the construction of automated systems.
- Security business:
Supporting corporate information security - Digital marketing business
Support for improving corporate marketing strategies and creating new businesses by analyzing data
NTT DATA has advanced technical capabilities in the field of information technology services, and contributes to business improvement and digital transformation of companies.
FUJITSU
Fujitsu is one of Japan’s leading comprehensive electronics manufacturers. The following are the company’s main business areas:
- ICT Solutions Business: provides ICT products such as computers, servers, storage, software, as well as services such as system construction and operational support.
- Device Business: manufactures and sells semiconductor products, electronic devices, electronic materials, and other related products.
- Security Business: offers security-related products and services, focusing on network security and information leak prevention.
- Car Electronics Business: manufactures and sells electronic components and information systems for automobiles.
- Digital Transformation Business: provides new businesses and services utilizing digital technologies such as AI, IoT, and cloud.
- Digital Support & Business Consulting Business: provides services such as business transformation support and system development.
NEC
NEC is one of Japan’s leading electrical and communication equipment manufacturers. The following are the company’s main business areas:
- ICT Solutions Business: provides solutions that support business digitization in fields such as cloud computing, big data, security, and artificial intelligence.
- Service Provider Business: offers services in various fields such as networks, computer systems, security, cloud services, and intelligent transport systems.
- System Platform Business: develops and provides core systems such as computer systems, servers, storage, and software.
- Social Infrastructure Business: develops and provides social infrastructure such as public security, broadcasting, communication and broadcasting equipment, and e-government.
GMO Internet Group
GMO Internet Group is one of Japan’s internet-related companies. The following are the company’s main business areas:
- Internet Infrastructure Business: provides infrastructure services that support the internet, such as domain registration and hosting.
- Advertising and Media Business: develops and provides online advertising and content, such as online advertising, portal sites, media, and content.
- Financial Business: provides financial services such as cryptocurrency exchanges and FX.
- Online Game Business: plans, develops, and operates online games.
- Career Business: offers services related to human resources, such as career consulting, personnel introduction, and outsourcing services.
Rakuten Group
Rakuten Group, Inc. is one of Japan’s leading Internet service companies. Below are the main business areas of the company:
- Internet service business: Provides various Internet services such as online shopping “Rakuten Ichiba” similar to Amazon, travel sites, point services, etc.
- Financial service business: Providing financial services such as securities, insurance, cards, and banking
- Mobile business: As the fourth largest mobile carrier after Softbank, DoCoMo, and KDDI, the company is increasing its market share by offering low charges and unlimited internet usage.
- Sports Business: Developing sports-related businesses, including the professional baseball team “Rakuten Eagles”
- Media business: Operates various web media, including the portal site “Rakuten Infoseek”
SoftBank
SoftBank Group Corporation is a leading Japanese telecom, internet, and entertainment company. Here are the main business areas of the company:
- Telecom Business: SoftBank provides various communication services such as mobile phones, smartphones, fixed-line phones, broadband services, etc. within Japan. It also offers a variety of communication services for corporations through SoftBank Telecom and SB Cloud.
- Internet Business: Through Yahoo! Japan and SB C&S, SoftBank provides a range of internet services such as search engines, portal sites, e-commerce sites, online advertising, cloud services, data centers, and more.
- Entertainment Business: Through SoftBank BB, SoftBank offers video and audio streaming services like Hulu, and through SoftBank Media and Marketing, it operates media businesses such as music, movies, publishing, and more.
- AI Business: SoftBank Robotics, which develops and sells AI products such as the humanoid robot “Pepper”.
- SoftBank Vision Fund Business: SoftBank Vision Fund invests in technology startups through SoftBank Vision Fund Corporation.
NTT DOCOMO
NTT DOCOMO, INC. is a leading Japanese telecommunications company that offers the following major businesses:
- Mobile Communications Business: Provides services such as mobile phones, smartphones, and mobile data communication, and has the largest customer base in Japan.
- Internet Business: Provides services such as mobile internet, fiber optic internet, Wi-Fi, and also operates businesses in the areas of cloud services and IoT.
- Payment Services Business: Provides various payment services such as electronic money and QR code payments.
- Media and Content Business: Provides various media content services such as dAnime Store and dMagazine.
- Enterprise Services Business: Provides a variety of services for enterprises such as cloud services and business IoT services.
KDDI
KDDI is one of the leading telecommunications companies in Japan, offering the following major businesses:
- Mobile Communications Business: Provides services such as mobile phones, smartphones, and mobile data communication under the au brand.
- Internet Business: Provides services such as fiber optic internet, Wi-Fi, and operates businesses in the areas of IoT and others.
- Payment Services Business: Provides various payment services such as electronic money and QR code payments.
- Media and Content Business: Provides various media content services through au’s mobile phone services and KDDI’s media subsidiary.
- Enterprise Services Business: Provides a variety of services for enterprises such as cloud services and business IoT services.
These are the major business areas of KDDI. Additionally, KDDI operates globally through partnerships with telecommunications companies in other countries.
Mercari
Mercari operates the following businesses with a focus on its flea market app, Mercari:
- Flea market app business: Mercari provides a free market platform where individuals can list and sell unwanted items via a smartphone app or website.
- Payment business: Mercari provides a service called “Merpay” that enables users to make payments, transfers, and online or in-store purchases via a smartphone app.
- Financial business: Mercari offers the Mercari Card, a credit card and other financial services.
Through these businesses, Mercari has rapidly grown as a flea market app that allows individuals to easily buy and sell unwanted items in Japan. The company is also aggressively expanding overseas, with a focus on Asia and other global markets.
GREE
GREE Inc. primarily operates the following three businesses:
- Social games: Developing and operating social games for smartphones and PCs.
- Ad tech: Providing advertising delivery platforms and advertising revenue maximization support tools.
- Lifestyle: Operating an online store “Green Online Store” and a real store “Green Box”.
Through these businesses, GREE is a leading company in the social gaming market and has expanded into new areas such as advertising and e-commerce. Additionally, GREE places a strong focus on global expansion and has expanded its operations into overseas markets, primarily in Asia.
DeNA
DeNA Co., Ltd. primarily operates the following businesses:
- Game business: It develops and operates game apps for smartphones and provides online games for personal computers.
- AI business: It provides an AI platform that utilizes natural language processing technology and offers business support services for enterprises.
- Financial technology (FinTech) business: It provides a smartphone investment app called “WealthNavi.”
DeNA is actively expanding into new fields, such as AI and FinTech, in addition to its core game business. It also places great emphasis on expanding into global markets and is working to expand its business in various parts of the world.
CyberAgent
CyberAgent is developing a wide range of businesses, including Internet advertising, games, media, and investment. Below are some representative examples.
- Internet advertising business: Marketing support for advertisers, centered on Internet advertising
- Game business: Development and operation of game apps for smartphones
- Media business: Develop media business such as “AbemaTV” that distributes information such as news, entertainment and sports
- Investment business: Investment in start-up companies and M&A through subsidiaries
As a leading Internet business company, CyberAgent is expanding its business both in Japan and overseas. We are also focusing on research and development of next-generation technologies, mainly by group companies.
ZOZO
ZOZO, Inc.’s main business is the sale of clothing, furniture, food, etc. on the Internet, including the online fashion mall “ZOZOTOWN”.
The company also develops and sells the online size measurement system “ZOZOSUIT”, online advertising business, production and distribution of content using VR and AR, and provision of subscription services.
The company has a global vision and serves customers in Japan and other parts of Asia.
Yahoo Japan
Yahoo Japan is a leading internet company in Japan, providing a wide range of services such as search engines, news, shopping, and online auctions.
In addition to these, the company operates various online services including e-commerce, finance, and advertising. Yahoo Japan also has a major investment in the online fashion retailer, ZOZO Inc.
The company aims to continuously provide new services to its users while enhancing its business partnerships with various companies.
Tokyo Electron
Tokyo Electron is a semiconductor manufacturing equipment manufacturer, providing wafer fabrication equipment, final equipment, lithography auxiliary equipment, etc.
The company mainly provide products to semiconductor manufacturers around the world, and boast the world’s No. 1 share in the equipment necessary for wafer manufacturing.
In Japan, we also provide manufacturing equipment for automobiles, home appliances, medical equipment, etc., contributing to a wide range of industries.
In recent years, the competition between the US and China in the semiconductor industry has intensified, and there is a tendency to tighten export controls on semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Under these circumstances, the fact that Tokyo Electron boasts a top-class share in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market in Japan is extremely important for Japan’s economic security.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is one of Japan’s leading comprehensive heavy industry manufacturers. The following are the company’s main business areas:
- Aircraft Business: develops and manufactures passenger planes, transport planes, and fighter jets.
- Space Systems Business: develops and manufactures rockets, artificial satellites, and space probes.
- Energy Business: manufactures and sells power generation facilities such as nuclear power plants, thermal power plants, and wind power plants, and provides maintenance and support services.
- Industrial Machinery Business: manufactures and sells shipbuilding machinery, industrial boilers, and industrial gas turbines, and provides maintenance and support services.
- Automotive Business: manufactures and sells trucks and buses.
- Plant Business: designs and constructs chemical plants, oil refineries, and LNG plants.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Heavy Industries is one of Japan’s leading comprehensive heavy industry manufacturers. The following are the company’s main business areas:
- Aircraft Business: develops and manufactures aircraft engines and parts.
- Motorcycle & Engine Business: manufactures and sells motorcycles and jet skis.
- Robot Business: develops and manufactures industrial and service robots.
- Heavy Electrical System Business: develops and manufactures electrical equipment for railway vehicles, control systems, generators, and more.
- Marine & Energy Business: manufactures and sells tankers, ships, and industrial gas turbines.
- Plant & Infrastructure Business: designs and constructs chemical plants, oil refineries, power plants, solar power plants, overseas infrastructure, and more.
【Unlisted fast-growing company】Japan technology companies
Kioxia
Kioxia is a semiconductor company that mainly manufactures memory products such as flash memory.KIOXIA holds a large share of the global market for memory products such as flash memory. Below is an overview of the types of semiconductors Kioxia manufactures.
- NAND type flash memory
Storage memory used in smartphones, tablets, PCs, digital cameras, etc. The company offers a wide variety of products to meet requirements such as ultra-high speed, high reliability, and low power consumption.
the company has a market share of about 19.3% on a sales basis in the global market in the first quarter of 2021, ranking second in the industry. However, there is a big difference to Samsung Electronics, which is ranked first in the industry. - SSD (Solid State Drive)
Storage memory attracting attention as an alternative to hard disk drives (HDD), characterized by high speed, high durability, and low power consumption.
the company has a market share of about 10.2% in 2020, ranking fifth in the industry. Samsung Electronics ranks first in the industry, while Western Digital ranks second. - 3D memory
By stacking NAND-type flash memory, higher density and higher speed are achieved, and it is used in a wide range of fields such as data centers, smartphones, and IoT. - Memory for mobile
Memory products for mobile products such as smartphones, tablets, and mobile phones, offering products that meet requirements such as low power consumption, miniaturization, and high speed. - Memory for servers
Memory products for servers used in data centers are characterized by high speed, high reliability, and low power consumption.
Please note that the memory market is constantly fluctuating, and the market share ranking may also fluctuate.
LINE
LINE has strong expansion in the Asian region, mainly in Japan and Taiwan, and has established itself as one of the major SNS in the Japanese market, and most smartphone users in Japan use LINE. .
In terms of overseas expansion, we are mainly focusing on the Southeast Asian region, and the number of users is increasing in Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, etc.
Preferred Networks
Preferred Networks is a leading Japanese company in the AI industry, specializing in deep learning that uses a lot of data to improve accuracy.
While collaborating with various companies using deep learning and robotics technology, the company is conducting cutting-edge research and development such as the advancement of industrial robots and the development of autonomous driving technology.
clean planet
Clean Planet is a company that develops “Quantum Hydrogen Energy”.
Hydrogen has a heat generation density more than 10,000 times that of city gas, and is attracting attention as a clean energy that does not emit CO2 when burned.
Therefore, the company aims to socially implement hydrogen generation using nanoscale metal composite materials using inexpensively available nickel and copper.
HIROTSU BIO SCIENCE
HIROTSU Bioscience can detect cancer with an accuracy of 86% with a single drop of urine.
Organisms with an excellent sense of smell detect the smell of cancer contained in urine, and comprehensively assess the risk of cancer throughout the body.
According to the 2020 data from the National Cancer Research Center, one in four Japanese men and one in six women die of cancer.
Early detection and initiation of treatment are important for cancer treatment, and this technology has the potential to reduce the mortality rate of Japanese people.
ispace
ispace is a company that aims to make the moon a living area for humans, and is first working on technology development for the exploration of water resources on the moon.
These days, even private citizens can go on space trips if they pay, and space is becoming more familiar little by little.
In this way, more and more companies are seriously pursuing space as their business domain, and the day may soon come when humans will live in space.
alt
Alt is developing a digital clone.
A digital clone is a clone AI that has learned its own thoughts.
Digital clones do the work, shopping, and paperwork for us, so we can spend our time doing what we really want to do, like our hobbies.
Gojo・and・company
Gojo & Company is a global company that aims to bring financial access to everyone in the world.
Currently, more than 1 billion people worldwide do not have access to financial services. In order to change the current situation, the company provides low-cost financial services (loans, savings, insurance, etc.) in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, etc.
TOUCH TO GO
TOUCH TO GO is a company that provides an unmanned payment store system that realizes speedy shopping and labor saving.
The data acquired by cameras and sensors is analyzed by a unique algorithm, and the customer can see the product details just by standing in the checkout zone without scanning the product.
Cash and cashless payments are accepted, and safety is ensured by the in-store remote monitoring system, so it can be operated by a part-time worker.
It is an important technology that can solve the problem of a declining working population due to the declining birthrate and aging population, and it is expected to be increasingly implemented in society in the future.
SkyDrive
SkyDrive is developing a two-seater flying car to start operations in 2025
A flying car is a common name for eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing), which is a low-cost helicopter with a reduced number of parts due to the electrification of the helicopter.
In the future, it will become a society where people can easily enjoy air travel from ports in the city at a taxi rate.
CADDi
This company cooperates with parts processing companies nationwide to provide one-stop processed product manufacturing services.
Japanese parts processing companies have high technical capabilities, but their sales capabilities are weak, so the reality is that they rely on certain business partners.
Therefore, this company launched a platform with an automatic quotation function, and provides parts after quality assurance from the standpoint of a fabless manufacturer.
As a result, parts processing companies can deliver products to new customers without having to engage in sales or create quotations, allowing them to concentrate on their core business and further improve their technical capabilities.
By dispersing the suppliers, the ordering side can reduce the risk of parts interruption even during busy periods or bankruptcy.
That’all.
