# Japan has only six unicorns, startup revival faces hurdles 2026-08-14T10:57:19+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Japan produces only six of the world’s 1,400 unicorns and has not spawned a single decacorn, Hindustan Times reports, citing research firm cb Insights. The country lags behind South Korea and Australia in startup creation despite an economy three times the size. Three problems hold back progress: a shortage of late-stage venture capital (Japan ranks 16th globally for deals above $15m), a cultural rush to list early (57% of exits are IPOs, versus 23% in America), and low social acceptance of entrepreneurship (just 24% see it as desirable, against a 67% global average). The government has tried to help since 2022 with public funds and new guidance in May 2025 encouraging buy-outs. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com Tags: entrepreneurship, government policy, Japan, startups, unicorns, venture capital Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/japan-has-only-six-unicorns-startup-revival-faces-hurdles/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/japan-has-only-six-unicorns-startup-revival-faces-hurdles/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.