Mitsubishi is an unlikely guide to Japan for some of Silicon Valley’s hottest startups

Masato Aikawa (l) and Shizuka Oikawa (r) of Mitsubishi Estate

Even companies worth billions of dollars need a place to call home. As we have covered, expanding into Japan requires careful navigation to find the right allies and also the right home base. The Entrepreneur Group for Growing Japan (Egg Japan), a little-known project of Mitsubishi Corporation’s subsidiary Mitsubishi Estate, has made a successful business in guiding foreign companies to the right people and places.

The client roster is a mini who’s who of billion dollar valuations. Box, Pinterest, and LinkedIn are all listed. Companies get set up in swanky offices in Tokyo’s Marunouchi area and also get access to elite networking circles, where they can make connections with some of the top lawyers, politicians, and CEOs in the city. Companies looking to make a stealthy entry into Japan are also welcome. Tech in Asia independently confirmed that at least one other Silicon Valley giant has taken up residence in an Egg Japan office. Even so, Mitsubishi assiduously protected that firm’s identity during the interview.

As the client list suggests, these services are not cheap. But if cost is not a concern, you can enjoy a headache-free stay in Tokyo. Offices are typically modestly sized as they target companies housing fewer than ten people. The shared common areas will be familiar to most startups – lounge spaces with snacks and foosball, and meeting rooms with floor-to-ceiling dry erase boards. Catering can also be arranged for certain restaurants.

Those offices were established in 2013 but Mitsubishi Estate has been supporting startups for far longer. Though a real-estate focused subsidiary of the sprawling Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Estate has been overseeing this project with a different goal in mind. “Our purpose is to help companies expand their business and their networks,” says Masato Aikawa, the general manager of the company’s client business development office.

This tradition dates back to 2000 when it created Marunouchi Frontier, an organization for supporting Japanese startups. Like Tohmatsu Venture Support (which is a member company of the still-active group), it connected startups with the professional services they needed to push their businesses forward. Well-known firms like Morrison & Foerster, KPMG, and Asahi Tax Corporation are all connected to Marunouchi Frontier.

Egg Japan’s many clients

In 2002, another piece of the puzzle fell into place with the introduction of Tokyo 21c Club, an exclusive incubation business club. Though targeted at new businesses, a good portion of the membership overlaps with the Marunouchi Frontier. Finally, in 2007, Egg Japan made its debut and established offices and a professional club for startups right across from Tokyo station. At last, Mitsubishi Estate capitalized on the know-how it had accumulated and Egg Japan’s prime location in one of Tokyo’s business centers.

Using the vast networks of Tokyo 21c Club and Marunouchi Frontier, Mitsubishi Estate began a charm offensive. By 2013, the first tenants, which included LinkedIn, arrived.

One year later, the early reviews are positive and companies like Opower Japan, Draper Nexus Venture Partners, Sozo Ventures, and Millennial Media have all moved into their own offices.

Egg Japan’s strong progress adds a new face to the “trusted broker” race in Japan. Traditional venture capital firms, corporate conglomerates, and a host of small-to-midsized consultancies are all vying to be known as an essential partner for foreign companies mulling a Japan entry. Mitsubishi Estate, with the storied history and strong corporate reputation of its parent company, seems like the last place to find startup support.

Yet, it has a growing number of satisfied customers sitting in gleaming offices overlooking the city and only a phone call or social mixer away from making powerful connections in Japan. The price tag might not be for everyone but the results seem hard to argue with.

See: Why global consulting firm Deloitte is the trusted godfather to 2,000 Japanese startups

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Mitsubishi is an unlikely guide to Japan for some of Silicon Valley’s hottest startups