Japanese seniors increasingly launch startups, backed by new government subsidies and support programs

Research by Teikoku Databank Ltd. shows that in 2025, 20.5% of new Japanese companies were headed by founders aged 60 or older, up 3.2 percentage points and marking the first time the share exceeded 20%. This surge is supported by a range of measures, including free expert consultations, networking events and government subsidies such as Nara Prefecture’s grants of up to 2 million yen. The Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center is running a business-plan competition for people 55 and older.

Companies like Ginza Second Life Corp. assist senior entrepreneurs with consulting, office rentals and clerical help, noting that regulatory hurdles have lessened. Entrepreneurs such as Chizuko Fukatsu have leveraged personal experience—identifying a lack of suitable clothing for elderly women—to launch niche apparel businesses, emphasizing the value of networks built through local-government programs.