The Three Rising Dragons: China, Japan, and Korea as a New Leadership in Impact Investing

True mainstreaming of impact investing cannot happen without Northeast Asia. China, Japan, and Republic of Korea (hereafter Korea) account for nearly 25% of global GDP and about 40% of the world’s manufacturing value-added, placing them at the heart of global financial systems. More than just joining the movement, Northeast Asia is reshaping it- leveraging deep financial infrastructure, institutional capital, and policy-driven investment strategies to drive systemic change at a global level. With a long history of economic collaboration, Northeast Asia has all the ingredients to become a key pillar of global impact finance. However, unlocking its full potential requires strategic alignment and deeper international cooperation.

This session invites global investors and ecosystem leaders to co-create the next phase of impact investing by engaging directly with Northeast Asia’s key players. Through real-time audience Q&A and dynamic case study discussions, attendees will gain first-hand insights into how the region is structuring impact finance, leveraging institutional capital, and shaping new investment models. Designed to go beyond theory, this session offers a platform for real-time exchange—where participants can explore tangible collaboration opportunities, contribute perspectives, and help define the future of mainstream impact finance.

1. Reframing Northeast Asia’s Impact Investment Role: From Market Follower to Global Agenda-Setter
Northeast Asia’s impact investing journey did not follow Western models—it built its own. While North America and Europe relied on philanthropy-driven capital and grassroots social enterprises, Northeast Asia’s approach has been state-led, corporate-driven, and policy integrated from the beginning. Now, as private-sector participation expands, the region is moving beyond being an adopter of global impact trends to defining them.
This session features impact leaders from China, Japan, and Korea who have actively shaped the region’s investment landscape—driving policy innovation, structuring capital flows, and fostering cross-sector collaboration. Their insights will highlight both the breakthroughs and bottlenecks that define the region’s shift from an emerging player to a global agenda-setter in impact finance.
– Korea has led policy-driven impact initiatives since the enactment of the 2007 Social Enterprise Promotion Act and is now moving toward expanding private-sector participation and cross-border collaboration.
– Japan is a newly emerging player in impact investing, rapidly evolving with increasing institutional and governmental engagement.
– As one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing markets, China has seen private-sector innovation drive the early growth of impact finance, with policy recognition still in its early stages. Global initiatives like AVPN and GSG are also playing a pivotal role in connecting China’s financial sector with the broader impact ecosystem.
[Key Topics & Questions]
1) How have China, Japan, and Korea’s impact investing ecosystems evolved compared to North America and Europe?
2) What are Northeast Asia’s structural financial advantages in scaling impact investments?
3) How can policy-driven markets transition toward private-sector leadership in impact finance?
This session will explore how these trends translate into actionable strategies for scaling impact finance. The discussion will then shift from market evolution to structured investment models, showcasing how institutional capital and cross-border investment mechanisms are driving large-scale impact—setting the stage for the next session on capital mobilization.

2. Unlocking Hidden Capital: Structuring Investment Models for Regional Growth
Northeast Asia has significant capital resources,—but much of it remains locked within traditional financial institutions, foundations, and government reserves. The key challenge is redirecting these resources into scalable impact finance models across the region.
Each country is pursuing distinct yet complementary approaches to capital mobilization:
– Korea is advancing blended finance mechanisms through organizations like the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Korea Venture Investment Corp(KVIC), to forge partnerships between government, corporations, and private-sector investors.
– Japan is embracing systems change investing as a new collective approach to solving complex problems of a population-declining, paternalistic society by collaborating with government-led dormant bank deposit utilization for impact investments and integrating social impact into mainstream financial strategies through banks, foundations, and insurance-backed funds.
– China’s venture capital and institutional investors are paying closer attention to sectors like edtech, fintech, and climate-tech. As the need for stronger policy support and public-private collaboration becomes more evident, efforts to integrate impact finance into mainstream capital markets are beginning to take shape.
[Key Topics & Questions]
1) Unlocking institutional capital: How can pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, foundations, and family offices integrate impact considerations into mainstream capital allocation?
2) Public-private alignment: What role do government-backed initiatives and corporate-driven funds play in creating a structured and scalable impact finance ecosystem?
This discussion will equip investors, fund managers, and ecosystem builders with practical lessons and actionable strategies for mobilizing institutional capital, structuring cross-border finance, and transforming dormant capital into engines for regional and global impact growth.

3. Partnering with Northeast Asia: Building a Collaborative Future for Global Impact Investing
Northeast Asia is not just integrating into global impact finance—it is becoming a strategic partner for global investors seeking new capital flows, scalable investment models, and cross-border collaboration. While the region’s impact investing movement is growing rapidly, its success depends on how well it connects with global capital markets, multilateral institutions, and impact measurement frameworks.
This session will provide a roadmap for global investors and financial leaders looking to:
– Cross-regional knowledge exchange – Northeast Asian countries share similar cultural contexts and social challenges, creating unique synergies when they collaborate on solutions. By exchanging specialized expertise—Japan’s regional revitalization approaches, Korea’s startup-driven innovation models, and China’s capital mobilization strategies—they can develop more effective responses to their common demographic and social issues.
– Joint regional initiatives –Developing capital market pathways for impact-driven enterprises, including discussions on new public market structures (e.g., impact-focused IPO frameworks).
– Expanding Northeast Asia’s role in impact investment across Southeast Asia – Northeast Asia is positioned to lead impact investing flows into Southeast Asia, much like how Western investors engage with Africa.
– Rethinking impact measurement for diverse markets – Moving beyond fragmented impact metrics to develop holistic, culturally adaptive impact measurement models that capture systemic change.
[Key Topics & Questions]
1) How can global DFIs, institutional investors, and impact funds effectively engage with Northeast Asian capital markets?
2) What role can Northeast Asian investors play in driving impact in Southeast Asia, and how can global capital align with this trend?
3) What concrete cross-border investment initiatives (e.g., blended finance models, regional impact funds) can enhance global impact investing?
4) How can Northeast Asia develop a more inclusive and adaptive impact measurement framework that accounts for diverse economic and social realities?
This session will highlight how Northeast Asia, through global collaboration, is positioned to transform impact investing from a niche initiative into a fundamental driver of financial markets.