JIC Venture Growth Investments

Hanae Suzuki is a Japanese life-science growth investor who leads biotech deals as her firm's go-to decision-maker, focusing on advanced platform companies and joining later-stage global syndicates.

Hideki Yarimizu built a government-backed fund to fill Japan's risk-capital gaps, favors open-ended deliberation balanced by private-market returns and industry roadmaps, and sits on boards in AI, automation and aerospace.

Jun Hayashi pairs board‑level M&A and post‑merger integration experience at Mitsubishi with expertise across materials, life sciences and energy, focusing on programmable mRNA, bacteriophage and microbiome therapeutics and multi‑round support.

Kan Yanazawa, Tokyo-based investor, focuses on middle-to-growth and post‑IPO Japanese tech—SaaS, proptech, real estate platforms, IoT—acts as primary portfolio contact and leverages a UCLA Anderson MBA with hands‑on scaling experience.

Mayumi Beppu focuses on university startups outside Tokyo, bridging academic research and local innovation with World Bank climate work and JETRO Latin America experience plus Spanish-language multilateral development expertise.

Refu Nakaya blends corporate finance, restructuring and growth‑investment experience across Asia, the US, Europe and Africa with a Kyoto University life‑sciences degree, offering a science‑driven edge in healthcare (Ohara, KAKEHASHI).

Shoko Nishida combines telecom operating experience, a Hitotsubashi MBA and Keio computer science background, investing in Japan-focused B2B SaaS—HR tech, customer experience and business management—via INCJ's government-linked innovation ecosystem.

Government-backed investor with operating experience at Rakuten and Accenture, known for moving quickly on large growth financings and backing tech that modernizes Japanese business operations and omotenashi-driven AI products.

Takashi Kimura is a government-backed investor with 14+ years advising on Japanese M&A, five in NYC, who specializes in AI-enabled B2B software and infrastructure (Qast, Tailor) bolstering Japan’s capital markets.

Takuma Tsuzuku brings over a decade of pharmaceutical experience, focuses on drug discovery investments, and often serves as external director or auditor, offering hands-on strategic support to life science firms.

Takumi Sakamoto is a principal who, despite being early-career, serves as primary lead on multiple portfolio companies across early- and later-stage tech—including Paytner and WealthPark—and sits on the investment committee.

Tomohiro Tange combines USC Marshall education with a decade at INCJ across investments, M&A, carve-outs and fund-of-funds, leading government-backed investing that scales companies and advances Japan's industrial and social priorities.

Toshiya Kishimura brings 14 years at Hakuhodo plus engineering and HCI from University of Tokyo, providing a rare brand and user-behavior lens in physical AI, autonomy, and space (Turing, ArkEdge Space).

Yoshiharu Asai is a life‑sciences‑trained licensed pharmacist who represents his firm on advanced cell and gene therapy boards and leads healthcare portfolio companies including Cellusion, Nxera and Cuorips.

Yoshiharu Uruno focuses on life sciences, sourcing and leading university-linked biotech deals in Japan—named investment lead for GAIA BioMedicine and Toregem BioPharma, and serving as corporate auditor in portfolio governance.

Yuki Kuwabara—University of Tokyo physicist with national R&D experience—bridges government research, academia and VC, serving as external board member and long-term hands-on supporter of fusion, cybersecurity and AI startups.