Articles
2026/01/29
The Japan Social Innovation and Investment Foundation (SIIF; Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Chairman: Shuichi Ohno), in collaboration with its domestic partners, has been selected as a case study developed as part of research and teaching material creation led by faculty members of Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship.
The case systematically documents and analyzes the past ten years of work undertaken by SIIF and its partner organizations to build Japan’s impact investing ecosystem, advance public–private collaboration, and implement innovative financial approaches to addressing social challenges. The materials are designed for researchers and practitioners both in Japan and internationally.
The case series is titled:
“Ten Years in the Making: Building Japan’s Impact Economy
— A Case and Video Series”
https://www.siif.or.jp/en/approach/83367/
Beginning in February 2026, the series will be adopted as a case study in the executive education programme offered by Saïd Business School, University of Oxford: Oxford Impact Investing Programme
Beyond its use in executive education, the series aims to serve as an internationally referenced case for both academic research and practical application.
This case series goes beyond a collection of impact investing examples. It presents a comprehensive view of the “impact economy,” grounded in Japan’s unique historical, cultural, and economic context.
Drawing on ethical capitalism symbolized by the Edo-period concept of Sanpo Yoshi (benefit for the seller, buyer, and society), the resilience of civil society shaped through experiences of disaster response, and Japan’s confrontation with complex “wicked problems” — including demographic ageing and population decline, regional depopulation, gender inequality, and climate change — the series explores a new economic paradigm that simultaneously integrates social, economic, and environmental value.
Guided by a commitment to “test, learn, and share through collaboration,” SIIF has worked to establish the foundations of Japan’s impact investing ecosystem and broader impact economy.
The case series provides a detailed analysis of the roles played by SIIF over the past decade:
As a Catalyst
As a Convenor
As a Collaborator
Rather than positioning Japan’s experience as a unique or isolated case, this series presents it as a source of transferable insights for other countries and regions seeking to build their own impact economies.
Amid geopolitical shifts and evolving global debates around ESG, the series is intended to serve as a learning platform that invites renewed reflection on the potential of collaboration- and values-based economic systems.
Through continued collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, SIIF remains committed to advancing the impact economy by fostering an ongoing exchange between practice and knowledge creation, thereby contributing to solutions for pressing social challenges.