Investing in Japan
Regional Information
Akita
To be an industrial center in the Era of Japan Sea Rim through development of advanced technologies and industry-government-academia collaboration
- Your Regional Guide: Chisato Kudo
Inquiry form
Industrial Location Support Office Department of Industry, Economy & Labor
4-1-1 Sanno, Akita-city, Akita Prefecture 010-8570
TEL: +81-18-860-2251 FAX: +81-18-860-3887
- Basic Information
- Regional Profile
- Services for investment in Japan
- Available incentives
- Living environment for foreigners
- Links to Related Websites
Basic Information
| Population | 1.12 million (Male: 0.53 million, Female: 0.659 million) (2007) |
|---|---|
| Labor force | 0.59 million (Male: 0.34 million, Female: 0.25 million) (2005) |
| Area | 11,612km² （2005） |
| GDP | 4,062 billion yen (2006) |
| Major industries | Electronic components/devices, general machinery, food, lumber/wood products, and precision machines |
| Developing industries | Electronic devices, resource recycling/new energy, transport equipment, medical/pharmaceutical, and nanotechnology |
| Offices overseas | Seoul (2002) |
| Offices in Japan | Tokyo/Osaka city, Osaka Prefecture/Nagoya city, Aichi Prefecture/Fukuoka city, Fukuoka Prefecture/Sapporo city, Hokkaido Prefecture |
| JETRO office | JETRO Akita |
Regional Profile
Strength of the region's industries and economy
In Akita Prefecture, the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industry has flourished thanks to the region’s rich nature. Its food self-sufficiency is the second highest in Japan on a calorie basis (in 2005), and the shipment value of food/beverages is one of the highest in the manufacturing industry. When we turn our eyes to added value per capita, the value of the process industry including pulp, paper, paper processing, and nonferrous metal is high. In particular, the metal recycling industry is developing because the area used to be one of the world’s leading mining districts, and the industry utilizes its mineral processing technologies. The electronic component/device industry demonstrates the second highest value-added productivity; which has been attracting a number of companies, accommodates the largest workforce, and has become the leading industry in the Prefecture. In addition, inflow of the transport equipment industry into the Tohoku district is distinct, and the growth in the medical/pharmaceutical industry exemplifies the accelerating aging of the population in the Prefecture in recent years.
Strength of the region's education/research institutes
Akita Prefecture has two public universities. Founded in 2004, Akita International University teaches all classes in English and focuses on the development of comprehensive communication skills, including linguistic proficiency and cross-cultural understanding to nurture human resources who can demonstrate their abilities in a global business environment. Akita Prefectural University, as the base for the creation of scientific industries, aims to achieve creative research and development through educational research and industry-government-academia collaboration. Above all, the Honjo and Yuri districts, home to the Faculty of Systems Science and Technology, is the center for leading-edge electronic and precision technology companies, and the university promotes collaborative research. Akita University is a national university and tackles research and education at the highest global standards in each research field: the Faculty of Engineering and Resource Science is nationally known for its technologies for mine resources, and the study of the “Control of the Cell Fate” by the Faculty of Medicine was selected as one of the 21st Century COE Programs by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Elementary and junior high school students in Akita demonstrated some of the highest scores on the national achievement test in 2007.
Industry-government-academia collaboration
The Akita Prefectural Industrial Technology Center has the Akita Research Institute of Advanced Technology, which is evaluated as the world’s top-level institute handling high-density perpendicular magnetic recording. creationist goal is to create four advanced industry clusters of nanotechnology, electronic devices, transportation equipment, and liaison between the medical and engineering industries, promote collaborative research with universities and commercial companies, transfer technical seeds to the private sector, and nurture ventures based in universities to tackle the commercialization of new technologies and the creation of new industries that meet the needs of the times. Above all, in the transportation equipment field, the university established the Akita Automobile Industry Promotion Council in collaboration with the prefecture and the Akita Industrial Advancement Center with the goal of inviting automobile-related companies to take advantage of Akita Port as a gateway to coastal cities and of creating clusters through matching the needs of medicine and seeds of engineering.
Strength of the region's infrastructure
Akita Prefecture is directly connected to the Tokyo Metropolitan Area via high-speed means of transportation including Akita Airport, Akita Shinkansen, and Akita Expressway. It is also connected to the major cities all around the world via Northeast Asian cities across the Sea of Japan using tri-weekly flights to Seoul and four containership services a week to Pusan, Korea.
A trial service with a RO/RO ship from Akita Port to Vladivostok Port, Russia, has been in operation since 2007. This provides a transport channel for used cars shipped to the Russian Far East market and an opportunity for verification tests of sea-and-rail transport to establish an import/export route to Russia and Europe in future, thus attracting attention to its potential as a new international physical distribution base.
<Land>
Akita Expressway provides approximately three-hour access from Akita to Sendai and seven hours to Tokyo.
<Air>
Akita Airport has daily flights to major domestic airports including Haneda Airport, Itami Airport, Kansai International Airport, Chubu Centrair International Airport, and New Chitose Airport. The airport also serves three flights weekly to Seoul with links to major cities worldwide.
<Sea>
Four container services a week are in operation from Akita Port to Pusan. The total volume of the cargoes shipped is 31,367 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit), the second largest in Tohoku to Sendai-Shiogama Port. In addition, an irregular service of an automobile carrier to Vladivostok Port started in 2007, and this is expected to become the first step to integrated sea-and-rail transport using the Trans-Siberian Railway.
<Railway>
Tokyo in approximately four hours from Akita by Akita Shinkansen. Recently, railways are becoming popular again as a means of cargo transportation that generate less CO2. In Akita Port where the distance between a railway station and a container berth is extremely short, the national government started a model experiment of sea-and-rail transport that carries marine freight containers on a train. New strength of railway transportation is emerging here.
Services for investment in Japan
| Menu of services | Fees charged? | Content of services |
|---|---|---|
| Providing market information | ||
| Advice on market participation | No | Consultation is provided by the staff of the Industrial Location Support Office of Akita Prefecture or the Akita Industrial Advancement Center. |
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Listing of potential customers and partners | No | Candidates are introduced by the staff of the Industrial Location Support Office of Akita Prefecture or the Akita Industrial Advancement Center using their network. |
| Listing of potential customers and partners | No | Candidates are introduced by the staff of the Industrial Location Support Office of Akita Prefecture or the Akita Industrial Advancement Center using their network. |
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Providing incubation facilities or other facilities | Yes | A space in an incubation office operated by Akita City named “Challenge Office Akita” may be used. |
| Providing information on procedures for investing in Japan | No | Information is provided by the staff of the Industrial Location Support Office of Akita Prefecture |
| Arranging the meetings needed to establish a base (real estate, manpower services) | No | Arrangement is offered by the staff of the Industrial Location Support Office of Akita Prefecture. |
| Introduction of available properties and advice on hiring personnel | No | Arrangement is offered by the staff of the Industrial Location Support Office of Akita Prefecture. |
| Providing information on permits and licensing procedures | No | Information is provided by the staff of the Industrial Location Support Office of Akita Prefecture |
| Providing information on subsidy programs | No | Information is provided by the staff of the Industrial Location Support Office of Akita Prefecture |
Support service
The Industrial Location Support Office of Akita Prefecture provides support for foreign companies considering investments in Akita Prefecture. Making use of its network, the Office offers information about the procedures for incorporation, as well as real estate, human resources, universities, research institutes, and business partners, free of charge. Subsidies may be granted for part of the initial investment such as investment in plants and equipment.
Database of candidate partners
Information is provided in Japanese only. It includes characteristics, strengths, and the number of patents of each company in Akita Prefecture. The database can be searched by keywords including fields.
Available incentives
- Subsidy for investment in plant and equipment
- A subsidy equal to 20% of the investment in plant and equipment (1.5 billion yen maximum) may be offered to companies locating a factory in the prefecture. Two billion yen may be paid at a maximum if it includes a research and development facilities.
- Preferential taxation
- Local taxes (real estate acquisition tax, enterprise tax and fixed asset tax) may be exempted for factories built in a designated area or industrial park.
- Funding programs
One billion yen maximum may be lent at 2% per annum with repayment terms of 10 years for the investment in factory construction.
Living environment for foreigners
| Living environment | Surrounded by a rich natural environment represented by Shirakami-Sanchi registered as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site and enriched by agricultural products cultivated from clear water and on fertile plains, Akita Prefecture is an area where residents can enjoy an affluent, comfortable life. The home ownership rate and average lot area of houses are one of the highest in Japan, thanks to reasonable house prices. Fewer crimes and traffic accidents contribute to the quality of life in Akita. The low cost of employment and land for business is also the appeal of site location in Akita. |
|---|---|
| Health services catering to foreigners | Search site for hospitals with foreign language speaking staffs |
| Other | The Akita International Association promotes the creation of a convenient and comfortable living environment, expanding the network with foreign residents and foreign nationals. |
Links to Related Websites
- Akita Prefecture
- Akita Prefecture Industrial Area Guide
- Akita International Association
- Tourist information on Akita Prefecture
- Akita International University
