#Japan #Tokyo #AI Partnership #KARAKURI #Upstage AI

Strategic Partnership between Upstage AI and Karakuri

On January 27, 2026, in Tokyo, Upstage AI, a global player in the AI sector, entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Karakuri Corporation, known for its strong capabilities in generation AI technology. This alliance aims to promote business collaboration and joint marketing initiatives within Japan.

This MOU will merge the enterprise-grade services provided by Upstage, such as Document Parse and the Japanese LLM ‘Syn Pro’—a product developed in collaboration with Karakuri and certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The combination of these services with Karakuri’s expertise in generative AI will cater to the high standards required by Japanese companies, offering them reliable AI solutions across various industries.

Upstage has already established essential use cases in finance, insurance, and public sectors globally. This partnership will further accelerate the adoption of domestic generative AI in enterprises throughout Japan. Additionally, the two companies plan to invest early in industries expected to utilize physical AI, aiming for timely social implementation of such technologies.

Through this collaboration, Upstage and Karakuri aim to position generative AI not merely as tools for digital productivity but as foundational technologies that expand into Japan’s physical and industrial realms. Their goal is to support the introduction and expansion of domestic AI across diverse fields, including industry manufacturing.

Insights from the Executives

Hiroyuki Matsushita, CEO of Upstage, commented, "This partnership symbolizes the transition of Japan's AI strategy from developing domestic models to building a domestic AI ecosystem. By combining the Ministry-certified LLM 'Syn Pro', a trusted enterprise AI, and early investments in physical AI, we aim to lay a foundation that allows Japanese companies to move beyond experimental phases and to integrate and expand AI in their operations significantly."

Tomoaki Nakayama, Chief Product Officer at Karakuri, added, "The next phase of AI growth in Japan will not be determined by the model's performance alone. It hinges on whether companies can genuinely trust AI and integrate it continuously in their operations. Through this collaboration, we are committed to establishing a high-reliability platform for domestic AI, enhancing the competitiveness of Japanese businesses and the overall industry."

Company Profiles

About Upstage AI Co., Ltd.
Upstage specializes in providing secure and high-performance LLMs and document AI solutions. It is backed by investments from giants such as Amazon and AMD and offers enterprise-level AI platforms including 'Syn Pro' and Document Parse. For more details, visit Upstage AI.

About Karakuri Corporation
Karakuri, with its vision of 'Friendly Technology,' is an AI startup aiming to apply large language models (LLMs) to customer support. It began researching the Transformer model BERT in 2018 and shifted focus to large language models, including GPT, in 2022. Its AI series for customer support is preferred by leading companies across various industries, including Takashimaya, SBI Securities, Seven-Eleven Japan, and Hoshino Resorts.

For inquiries from the media:
Contact Upstage AI Public Relations at [email protected]