# Automotive & EVs investors in Japan (2026 list)

> 28 automotive & EVs investors in Japan, 100% active in the last 12 months. Led by Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, Mizuho Capital.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/lists/automotive-investors-in-japan (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Investor Lists](https://millionrounds.com/lists)

# Automotive & EVs investors in Japan

Updated 7 November 2026

Firms observed backing an automotive & EVs company in Japan in the last two years, wherever the firm is based.

[See all 28 *→*](https://millionrounds.com/login?join=1&next=%2Fapp%2Finvestor-lists%2Fautomotive-investors-in-japan)The top 25

**28** investors on the list No change this week

**792** cheques in 12 months *+6%* against the market

**$9.5M** median round they joined *+19%* against the market median

**100%** wrote a cheque in 12 months

**39%** have led a round

## The Top 25

Ordered by cheques observed, never by anything anyone paid for

Deploying now (25)

- 1 [Mitsubishi UFJ Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/mitsubishi-ufj-capital-co-ltd) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **493** **$4.7M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 2 [SMBC Venture Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/smbc-venture-capital-2) *Deploying now* Investment bank · Japan **443** **$5.1M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 3 [Mizuho Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/mizuho-capital) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **397** **$6.5M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 4 [SBI Investment](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sbi-investment) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **330** **$8.7M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 5 [Japan Finance Corporation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/japan-finance-corporation) *Deploying now* Investment firm · Japan **247** **$2M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 6 [Incubate Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/incubate-fund) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **245** **$2.8M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 7 [CyberAgent Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/cyberagent-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **231** **$2.2M** median round **Aug 2026** last seen
- 8 [Mizuho Corporate Bank](https://millionrounds.com/fund/mizuho-corporate-bank) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **217** **$9.5M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 9 [Deutsche Bank](https://millionrounds.com/fund/deutsche-bank) *Deploying now* Corporate VC · Germany **144** **$175M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 10 [Sony Innovation Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sony-innovation-fund) *Deploying now* Corporate VC · Japan **142** **$10M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 11 [MUFG Bank](https://millionrounds.com/fund/mufg-bank) *Deploying now* Investment firm **139** **$43M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 12 [IMM Investment](https://millionrounds.com/fund/imm-investment-corp) *Deploying now* VC firm · South Korea **136** **$14M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 13 [Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sumitomo-mitsui-banking-corporation) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **124** **$11M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 14 [Archetype](https://millionrounds.com/fund/archetype) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **116** **$5M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 15 [NTT DOCOMO Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/ntt-docomo-ventures) *Deploying now* Accelerator · Japan **115** **$12M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 16 [Pegasus Tech Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/pegasus-tech-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **87** **$8.4M** median round **Jul 2026** last seen
- 17 [JIC Venture Growth Investments](https://millionrounds.com/fund/jic-venture-growth-investments) *Deploying now* VC firm **74** **$15M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 18 [Fortress Investment](https://millionrounds.com/fund/fortress-investment-group) *Deploying now* Private equity · United States **61** **$100M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 19 [Mitsubishi Corporation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/mitsubishi-corporation) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **55** **$17M** median round **Jul 2026** last seen
- 20 [UTokyo Innovation Platform](https://millionrounds.com/fund/utokyo-innovation-platform) *Deploying now* Growth equity · Japan **50** **$4.1M** median round **Jul 2026** last seen
- 21 [Lifetime Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/lifetime-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **28** **$901K** median round **Aug 2026** last seen
- 22 [Resona Bank](https://millionrounds.com/fund/resona-bank) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **24** **$5.4M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 23 [Yucho Asset Management](https://millionrounds.com/fund/yucho-asset-management) *Deploying now* Growth equity **3** **-** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 24 [Keyrock Capital Management Limited](https://millionrounds.com/fund/keyrock-capital-management-limited) *Deploying now* Private equity · Hong Kong SAR China **2** **$100M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 25 [Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sumitomo-mitsui-trust-bank) *Deploying now* VC firm · Japan **2** **$633M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen

**3 more on this list**

All 28 are in the app, with filters for stage, sector and market. A free account shows 10 per search, Pro up to 1,000.

[See the whole list *→*](https://millionrounds.com/login?join=1&next=%2Fapp%2Finvestor-lists%2Fautomotive-investors-in-japan)

## The Newest Cheques

Rounds this list's investors joined most recently

- **5** Nov **[Nyle](https://millionrounds.com/company/nyle)** Series C *With* [Yucho Asset Management](https://millionrounds.com/fund/yucho-asset-management)
- **5** Nov **[Return](https://millionrounds.com/company/return)** Debt · $936M *With* [Deutsche Bank](https://millionrounds.com/fund/deutsche-bank)
- **5** Nov **[Nealle](https://millionrounds.com/company/nealle)** Series C *With* [Yucho Asset Management](https://millionrounds.com/fund/yucho-asset-management)
- **5** Nov **[Pay2o](https://millionrounds.com/company/pay2o)** Seed *With* [Mizuho Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/mizuho-capital)
- **5** Nov **[OPENREC](https://millionrounds.com/company/openrec)** Other *With* [Yucho Asset Management](https://millionrounds.com/fund/yucho-asset-management)
- **3** Nov **[Muvin](https://millionrounds.com/company/muvin)** Series A *Led by* [IMM Investment](https://millionrounds.com/fund/imm-investment-corp)

## Stages This Year

481 rounds

- Venture **25%**
- Debt **21%**
- Series A **14%**
- Seed **11%**
- Series B **10%**
- Other **19%**

## What They Backed

Sectors, last 12 months

- AI **90**
- Energy **39**
- Big Data & Analytics **22**
- Aerospace & Space **22**
- Cleantech **20**
- Consumer Apps **20**

## Cheques by Quarter

Led Joined

162 Q1 25

189 Q2 25

220 Q3 25

246 Q4 25

227 Q1 26

273 Q2 26

177 Q3 26

33 Q4 26

The last bar is the quarter still running.

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[All investor lists *→*](https://millionrounds.com/lists)

## Reading for founders in mobility and logistics

- Tesla Motors: How Elon Musk and Company Made Electric Cars Cool, and Sparked the Next Tech Revolution Charles Morris · 2014 4.28 from 202 ratings on Goodreads Mobility and logistics Company building About the book In twelve years of existence, Tesla Motors has achieved many amazing feats. The most trusted sources in the auto industry have called its Model S the most advanced, safest and best-performing car ever built - and it doesn’t use a drop of gasoline. Tesla has changed the way the… On AmazonListen on Audible
- Empires of the Sky: Zeppelins, Airplanes, and Two Men's Epic Duel to Rule the World Alexander Rose · 2020 4.34 from 637 ratings on Goodreads Mobility and logistics About the book At the dawn of the twentieth century, when human flight was still considered an impossibility, Germany's Count von Zeppelin vied with the Wright Brothers to build the world's first successful flying machine. As the Wrights labored to invent the airplane, Zeppelin fathered the… On AmazonListen on Audible
- Insane Mode: How Elon Musk's Tesla Sparked an Electric Revolution to End the Age of Oil Hamish McKenzie · 2018 3.70 from 784 ratings on Goodreads Mobility and logistics Company building About the book "You'll tell me if it ever starts getting genuinely insane, right?" --Elon Musk, TED interview Hamish McKenzie tells how a Silicon Valley start-up's wild dream came true. Tesla is a car company that stood up against not only the might of the government-backed Detroit car… On AmazonListen on Audible
- Wild Ride: Inside Uber's Quest for World Domination Adam Lashinsky · 2017 3.67 from 968 ratings on Goodreads Mobility and logistics Company building Moats and competition About the book In your pocket is something amazing: a quick and easy way to summon a total stranger who will take you anywhere you'd like. In your hands is something equally amazing: the untold story of Uber's meteoric rise, and the massive ambitions of its larger-than-life founder and… On AmazonListen on Audible

More books for founders and investors on the [Reading List](https://millionrounds.com/reading-list?role=founder&industry=mobility).

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

## Quick answers about automotive & EVs investors in Japan

### Who are the most active automotive & EVs investors in Japan?

By cheques observed, the most active are Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, Mizuho Capital, SBI Investment and Japan Finance Corporation.

### How many automotive & EVs investors in Japan are there?

28 are on record. 100% made an investment in the last 12 months and 39% have led a round.

### Which stages do automotive & EVs investors in Japan back?

Of the rounds with a named stage in the last 12 months, mostly Debt (30%) and Series A (20%).

### How big are the rounds automotive & EVs investors in Japan join?

The typical (median) round among the leading investors here is $9.5M.

### Which sectors do automotive & EVs investors in Japan back most?

In the last 12 months, mostly AI, Energy and Big Data & Analytics.

### Which automotive & EVs investors in Japan lead the most rounds?

IMM Investment (4 led), Sony Innovation Fund (3 led) and SBI Investment (2 led).

### Where are automotive & EVs investors in Japan based?

Among the most active, most are based in Japan (16), the United States (3) and Germany (1).

### What have automotive & EVs investors in Japan invested in recently?

Recent rounds include Nyle (Series C, Nov 2026, with Yucho Asset Management), Return (Debt, Nov 2026, with Deutsche Bank) and Nealle (Series C, Nov 2026, with Yucho Asset Management).

Built from the rounds we watched, refreshed every night. [How we count](https://millionrounds.com/methodology) · [Report a correction](https://millionrounds.com/corrections)