Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, stated during a recent event in New York that the weakening yen presents a cost advantage for foreign startups and investors looking to establish a presence in the city. This currency shift enables overseas entities to recruit local high-skilled talent at relatively lower costs. Although the yen has dipped to near 40-year lows against the U.S. dollar, Koike noted she has not received feedback from the business community regarding negative impacts from the currency decline. However, she acknowledged that yen depreciation does undermine the overseas spending power of Japanese entrepreneurs, imposing higher costs on those seeking to invest or spend income abroad.

During her U.S. visit, Koike participated in forums and international conferences aimed at promoting Tokyo as a global financial hub. Under her leadership, the metropolitan government has implemented a series of strategies, including establishing innovation bases and support platforms, as well as hosting sustainable technology conferences, with the goal of becoming the world's most startup-friendly city. However, challenges remain. According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Report released by research institutions, Tokyo currently ranks 12th, trailing behind Asian competitors such as Beijing, Singapore, Seoul, and Shanghai.

To stand out in the competition for foreign talent and enterprises, Tokyo is emphasizing its stability and openness. Koike believes that democratic institutions, the rule of law, and guarantees of freedom of speech are unique advantages for Tokyo compared to other regions in Asia. To this end, Tokyo is optimizing the work environment for foreign talent, encouraging companies to provide multi-language investor relations materials, establishing support systems for foreign entrepreneurs, and planning to increase the number of international schools. However, the Japanese central government recently tightened requirements for business management visas, sparking concerns among some small business operators that they may be forced to abandon the Japanese market. In response, Koike stated that the new regulations are not expected to affect professionals in the financial sector with specialized technical skills. The Tokyo metropolitan government is communicating with the central government regarding support for national growth strategies and has established feedback channels to ensure issues faced by startups can be promptly reported to the government.