Investing in Japan
Regional Information
Fukuoka city
Fukuoka – An Asian business hub －FUKUOKA : GATEWAY TO ASIA
- Your Regional Guide: Yoshiharu Nakamura
Inquiry form
International Economic Affairs Department
City Hall 14F, 1-8-1Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-city, Fukuoka Prefecture 810-8620
TEL: +81-92-711-4343 FAX: +81-92-733-5593
- Basic Information
- Regional Profile
- Services for investment in Japan
- Available incentives
- Living environment for foreigners
- Links to Related Websites
Basic Information
| Population | 1.42 million (Male: 0.68 million, Female: 0.74 million) (2007) |
|---|---|
| Labor force | 69 million (Male: 0.39 million, Female: 0.30 million) (2005) |
| Area | 341km² (2007) |
| GDP | 7,547 billion yen (2005) |
| Major industries | Services (for businesses and individuals), wholesale/retail, real estate, transport/communication, and manufacturing industries (food processing, printing/publishing, and machinery/metals) |
| Developing industries | Knowledge-creating industries (ICT, robotics, semiconductor, online content, and nanotechnology), Automotive industries, health/medical/welfare, and logistics industries |
| Offices overseas | Shanghai |
| Offices in Japan | Tokyo/Nagoya city, Aichi Prefecture |
| JETRO office | JETRO Fukuoka |
Regional Profile
Strength of the region's industries and economy
Fukuoka City's sphere of influence in terms of transportation and information extends to the whole Kyushu and Yamaguchi Prefectures, which contain a population of 15 million. It is also geographically close to markets in China's coastal regions and Korea. Because of its population concentration and highly sensitive consumers, the city is attracting attention as a location for test marketing prior to the decision on nationwide sales of new products or business expansion. Motivated by the volume of business and consumption in the Kyushu and Yamaguchi area, wholesale and B2B services comprise a large portion and the supportive functions for the industries in the whole Kyushu are concentrated here.
Strength of the region's education/research institutes
Seaside Momochi is adjacent to the city center and has established a high-quality office environment around the Fukuoka SRP Center. It has become the center of the information-related industry, consisting of approximately 200 companies and 10,000 employees working there. Even after having attracted the Institute of Systems, Information Technologies and Nanotechnologies (ISIT), which is a public research institution on systems and information technologies, the Fukuoka Institute of System LSI Design Industry, providing comprehensive support on system LSIs through industry-government-academia collaboration, as well as commercial R&D businesses, the area is still developing as a base of research and development. Taking the opportunity of the move to the Ito Campus in Nishi Ward, Kyushu University aims at establishing a base of knowledge suitable for the era of knowledge in the 21st century.
Industry-government-academia collaboration
A Kyushu Silicon Cluster Plan is promoted through industry-government-academia collaboration to create an industrial cluster in Kyushu. A Silicon Sea-belt Fukuoka Project is promoted by Fukuoka Prefecture to build a design/development base serving as a leader in Asia. The Special Asian Business Zone, one of special zones for structural reform, and the Region Revitalization Plan promote prioritized authorization of resident’s status for foreign researchers and IT engineers as well as industry-academia collaboration.
Strength of the region's infrastructure
The City has daily flights to Pusan, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. Among them, the flight schedule enables travelers to make a same-day return business trip to Pusan, Seoul, and Shanghai. Hakata Port has 210 container services per month, and Fukuoka Airport has 317 international flights a week and 330 domestic flights a day. In addition, an interchange of an expressway and a cargo railway station are conveniently located within the city. All these features are highly rated as a physical distribution center of East Asia. Toyota exports completed cars from Hakata Port to China.
<Land>
An established network of expressways directly connects Fukuoka to major cities in Kyushu and the rest of Japan. It is possible to bypass the urban areas and avoid traffic congestion, when traveling to Hakata Port and Fukuoka Airport, if you use the Fukuoka Interchange or Dazaifu Interchange on the Kyushu Expressway.
<Air>
Connected to 17 cities overseas, more and more passengers and cargoes fly from Fukuoka Airport every year as a hub of Asia. It has become Japan's third largest international airport in terms of trade value, following Narita and Kansai. Fukuoka Airport offers excellent access to major cities in Asia; Shanghai is 90 minutes away (4 round-trip flights a day) and Seoul is 70 minutes away (4-5 round-trip flights a day). The airport is also connected to a number of major cities in Japan. It takes only 5 to 11 minutes from the business area in Fukuoka to the Airport by subway. It is one of the most convenient airports in the world.
<Sea>
Hakata Port is one of the specially designated ports in Japan. It is the only port from Kobe and to the west that has routes to North America and Europe and boasts the largest international container cargo volume handled in Kyushu. Daily ferry services are in operation, connecting Fukuoka and Pusan in six hours and twice-weekly high-speed cargo services connects Fukuoka and Shanghai in 26 hours. In addition to the above, three to six high-speed passenger ships a day are in service to Pusan, connecting two cities within three hours.
<Railway>
The Shinkansen and abundant limited express trains strengthen the railway network in Kyushu. The network is connected to major cities in Kyushu and the rest of Japan. Kyushu Shinkansen is planned from Hakata to Kagoshima, which will further improve the convenience of passengers.
Foreign company(s) operating in the industry
Fukuoka City has long been a popular choice among major foreign companies as the location for their Kyushu/West Japan regional headquarters. In recent years, the city has been increasingly chosen as a toehold by the East Asian companies in East Asian countries such as China and Korea entering into the Japanese market. Many of such companies are in the ICT sector.
| Company name | Sun Microsystems, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Industry sector | ICT |
| Date of entry | 2003年4月 |
| Motivation for selecting region | |
| Support provided by local government or JETRO | |
| Comments |
| Company name | EDAG Japan |
|---|---|
| Industry sector | Automobiles (development of vehicles, production facilities, etc.) |
| Date of entry | February 2006 |
| Motivation for selecting region | See the case of EDAG Japan on the “Investment examples” page of the Asiabiz Fukuoka portal site. |
| Support provided by local government or JETRO | See the case of EDAG Japan on the “Investment examples” page of the Asiabiz Fukuoka portal site. |
| Comments | See the case of EDAG Japan on the “Investment examples” page of the Asiabiz Fukuoka portal site. |
Services for investment in Japan
| Menu of services | Fees charged? | Content of services |
|---|---|---|
| Providing market information | ||
| Advice on market participation | No | If sufficient information is not found in existing publications such as JETRO's Product Marketing Guide, consult with an IBSC advisor stationed in the JETRO Fukuoka adjacent to Fukuoka City Hall, or an advisor at the trade information center. |
| Consulting by external experts and advisers | Yes | You will be introduced to commercial consulting firms specialized in market research. Some are specialized in Fukuoka or Kyushu regions and some are the branches of the companies capable of conducting nationwide market surveys. |
| Arranging appointments with potential customers and partners | Yes | Introduction to consulting firms specialized in market research as above |
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Monitoring surveys (evaluation of products and services) | Yes | Introduction to consulting firms specialized in market research as above |
| Listing of potential customers and partners | No | Fukuoka City has a database of local companies which are interested in conducting business with foreign companies. The database can be searched. |
| Listing of potential customers and partners | No | Introductions will be made and assistance will be provided for arranging appointments with companies on the above database or with the companies you contacted, if both parties agree with it. |
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Providing incubation facilities or other facilities | In some case, yes | JETRO Fukuoka, adjacent to the Fukuoka City Hall, assumes the role of IBSC and provides booths free of charge. There are also commercial incubation businesses that adopt simplified contract style that facilitate new foreign companies to rent the facilities. |
| Providing incubation facilities or other facilities | In some case, yes | For typical cases, Fukuoka City Hall has prepared a manual and makes it available on its website, where trial cost calculation function is provided free of charge. For cases previously unheard of, you will be directed to specialist consultants. |
| Providing information on procedures for investing in Japan | No | Manuals are prepared and made available on the website for typical examples of foreign companies branching into Fukuoka. This includes feasibility studies, acquisition of visas and residence status, corporate registration, securing of offices, recruiting, tax payment, housing accommodation, business expansion, and withdrawal from business depending on circumstances. |
| Arranging the meetings needed to establish a base (real estate, manpower services) | No | Real estate agencies, staff agencies and other supporting businesses who are supportive to the opening of business by foreign companies can be introduced. |
| Introduction of available properties and advice on hiring personnel | No | For offices, warehouses and other business locations, real estate agencies may offer advice from the viewpoint of specialists. For recruiting and employment, you will be directed to free consultation service by a certified social insurance labor consultant or an enterprise management consultant. |
| Providing information on permits and licensing procedures | No | For administrative procedures under the jurisdiction of the City, it provides a variety of support including information provision, sending application materials and progress management. You will even be accompanied when you go to the department in charge of the relevant approval and license. It also introduces appropriate organizations for matters beyond the jurisdiction of the City. |
| Providing information on subsidy programs | No | It provides consultation about the location promotion system of the City and accepts an application. It can also direct you to the institution that surveys and controls subsidies that may available to your business plan, if requested. |
Support service
Following the example of the national government’s INVEST JAPAN (comprehensive and centralized point of contact for companies directly investing in Japan), Fukuoka City established a one-stop service for administrative procedures for foreign companies locating in Fukuoka. It transmits information about the City’s investment climate and provides support for companies coming to Fukuoka.
Database of candidate partners
- Asia Business Finding a business partner
Local companies doing or interested in business overseas are registered. On the other hand, foreign companies interested in dealing with companies in Fukuoka/Kyushu are also registered.
Introduces semiconductor-related companies in Kyushu, which is called “Silicon Island”. Search by category or region is available.
Available incentives
A variety of support programs are available for businesses locating in Fukuoka City, including subsidy for the office rent. Especially for the foreign companies seeking the first toehold in Japan, part of the recruiting expenses and consulting fee for the company-formation specialist is subsidized. Contact us before making an application, because prior consultation is necessary.
Living environment for foreigners
| Living environment | A vibrant, safe and comfortable city, Fukuoka, was selected by the Newsweek magazine (July 3/10, 2006 edition) as one of the “World’s 10 Hottest Cities”. Thus, energy and potential of the city is highly evaluated even from overseas. Hong Kong’s weekly magazine, Asiaweek, once selected Fukuoka as the best city in Asia. Even in a survey targeted to Japanese business people, Fukuoka City was ranked in first place as a "comfortable city to live in" and in second place as a "city where I'd like to live sometime." The reasons for the former choice were “convenience of shopping and transportation” and “living environment” and those for the latter were “food” and “convenience of shopping and transportation” |
|---|---|
| International schools | Fukuoka City has one international school |
| Health services catering to foreigners | 180 medical institutions in Fukuoka City offer medical services in foreign languages. |
| Other | The Fukuoka International Association established an office called “Rainbow Plaza” to provide information required for daily life, consultation, counseling and legal advice for foreign residents in Fukuoka. Service provided in English, Chinese and Korean. |
Links to Related Websites
- FUKUOKA CITY
- AsiaBiz Fukuoka
- FUKUOKA ISLAND CITY
- Organization for Promotion Academic City by Kyushu University
