Following U.S. Success, ShelterZoomJapan Launches as More Businesses Shift to Remote Work

The blockchain-based platform arrives as Japan endorses digital signatures to carry proof ability of agreements instead of traditional "Hanko" stamping; Tech executive to serve as inaugural CEO

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As millions around the world conduct routine business remotely due to COVID-19, the user-friendly, blockchain-based company ShelterZoom announced today the incorporation of ShelterZoomJapan, based in Tokyo. Tech executive Shuhei Yamamura will serve as ShelterZoomJapan’s inaugural CEO. ShelterZoom, which recently launched its new virtual negotiating platform DocuWalk, allows businesses to store documents, negotiate transactions and finalize contracts in a transparent and secure online ecosystem. The subscription-based service’s technology turns documents into secure intelligent assets that can be collaborated on or shared in real time, with privacy top-of-mind, as Japan transitions to a more remote working environment.

Over the last 12 years in the internet business field, Yamamura has engaged with various start-ups and taken them to the next level. His recent affiliations include taking Scigineer Inc., a SoftBank affiliated company, to IPO in 2015 and launching digital advertising businesses at AdAsia in other Asian markets, including Thailand and Taiwan, over the last four years.

“COVID-19 has been rapidly transforming our traditional paper practices in Japan, including the dramatic shift away from the Hanko culture that now makes digital document and e-signatures effective for official documents and contracts, an epoch-making change in Japan as companies and organizations shift into remote work under the circumstances,” said Shuhei Yamamura, CEO of ShelterZoomJapan. “I believe now is the best time for ShelterZoom to enter the Japanese market feeling like the wind is at our back.”

The moment that helped pave the way for ShelterZoom to launch in Japan came in mid-June, when the Cabinet office & Ministry of Justice & Ministry of Economy endorsed the unnecessity of “Hanko” stamping on contracts and also for official digital documents and e-signatures under certain conditions to carry proof ability of agreements in order to ease Japan’s outdated “paper” practice. This comes as officials in Japan have suggested companies allow more of their staff members to work remotely to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

“We have seen the game changing impacts ShelterZoom and its latest platform DocuWalk are having in the United States with the digitalization and tokenization of documents and contracts into one simplified, secure and transparent ecosystem,” said Chao Cheng-Shorland, Co-Founder and CEO of ShelterZoom. “We are honored to bring the ShelterZoom technology to Japan for applications across multiple business sectors, and there is no one more experienced than Mr. Yamamura who will help steer the digital ship in Japan, and we are grateful to him for lending his expertise.”

In the coming weeks, ShelterZoomJapan will launch its new website with a focus on the Japanese enterprise community, among other initiatives, including the latest features and updates to DocuWalk.com. For more information on ShelterZoomJapan, visit www.shelterzoom.com.

About ShelterZoomJapan

ShelterZoom’s mission is to provide an industry-agnostic, smart-contract-based SaaS platform that transforms records, documents and contracts into fully digital, interoperable and intelligent assets. These digitized assets can “think,” “communicate,” “travel” and “trade.” After winning the 2018 SIIA CODiE Best Emerging Technology Award, which recognizes “high-impact products,” ShelterZoom is delivering to market a first-of-its-kind industry-agnostic platform to evolve contracts to Contract of Things (CoT). A market leader in blockchain, ShelterZoom is more than just a software company. ShelterZoom is changing the way the global market thinks about remote operations and collaboration. For more information, visit www.docuwalk.com. For more information, visit ShelterZoom.com.