With more and more individuals attracted to entrepreneurship for its potential of freedom, purpose, and profit, when one Indian man chose to locate his startup outside India, it created a stir across the internet.

In a going-viral Reddit thread, one person explained why he decided to establish his startup in Japan rather than in India. The post, “Why I decided to build my Startup in Japan instead of India (Japan Startup Visa),” refers to a LinkedIn page that names the founder as Prashant Sharma, a New Delhi native now based in Tokyo.

Why Prashant Chose Japan Over India?

Prashant traveled to Japan in 2023 to study for a PhD in neuroscience at the University of Tokyo. Along the way, he learned a method for language acquisition that was rooted in neuroscience. Seizing the potential, he took a gutsy step: “I had two choices. Return to India or remain in Japan and launch my startup here.”

Eventually, he decided to leave his PhD program and start his new language learning idea full-time by starting a business. “I had been in Japan for almost 2 years and fallen deeply in love with the country. Everything was just so well managed, clean, and peaceful. Zero air pollution, extremely high-trust society, and all things just work,” he described, continuing, “It would be an understatement to say that I was dedicated to trying to figure out a way to somehow remain and establish my startup in Japan.

He also discussed the plight of Indian entrepreneurs having to deal with complicated systems in their own country. “Reading about the harrowing experience of many Indian founders on this sub, struggling to stay alive in the midst of Indian bureaucracy hell only solidified my determination.”

Japan Startup Visa Helps

The open-arms attitude of Japan in accepting global entrepreneurs encouraged him as well. Prashant mentioned that he applied and got the Japan Startup Visa, where it is possible for foreigners to form a company out of an idea. “No need of a physical office, hiring staff, or capital expenditure. This was just ideal for me as I was beginning,” he wrote. “So I applied, and after a tough process, I finally obtained my Japan Startup Visa. Now I’m building my startup in Tokyo and enjoying every second of it.”

He ended his post with advice for aspiring Indian founders, “Life is too short and precious to struggle forever. Don’t waste your potential where your skills are not appreciated.”

In a similar case, another guy quit a well-paying job to start his own startup with an annual salary of Rs 50 lakh. But after two years of hard work, he closed it down. Looking back at the experience, he said, “He failed at being a founder.”