The Japanese FTC and Government release guidelines for business collaboration with and investment in startups

On December 23, 2021, the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ("METI") proposed a draft of Guidelines for Business Collaboration with Startups and Investment in Startups ("Guidelines") for the purpose of promoting open innovation and ensuring fair and free competitive environments. [1] They are seeking comments from the public. Comments are due by January 21, 2022. In recent years, open innovation, where large companies cooperate with startups to create new value, has become important. Previously, the JFTC and METI jointly published the Guidelines for Business Collaboration with Startups on March 29, 2021. The draft of Guidelines this time is an updated version of the previous Guidelines. In addition to the guidelines for business