Investing in Japan
Regional Information
Hamamatsu city
“Hamamatsu, a creative city shining a light on the future” built up through citizen cooperation
- Your Regional Guide
Inquiry form
Hamamatsu City, Commerce & Industry Department, Industrial Site Promotion Division
E Stage Hamamatsu 7F, 1-2-1 Chuo, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu-city, shizuoka Prefecture 430-0929
TEL: +81-53-457-2282 FAX: +81-53-457-2283
- Basic Information
- Regional Profile
- Services for investment in Japan
- Available incentives
- Living environment for foreigners
- Links to Related Websites
Basic Information
| Population | 0.82 million (Male: 0.41 million, Female: 0.41 million) (April 2008) |
|---|---|
| Labor force | 0.44 million (Male: 0.26 million, Female: 0.18 million) (October 2005) |
| Area | 1,511.17km² （April 2008） |
| GDP | 3,127 billion yen (2005) |
| Major industries | Transport equipment, musical instruments, textiles, optical/electronic equipment |
| Developing industries | Transport equipment, medical devices, optical/electronic equipment, aerospace equipment |
| Offices in Japan | Tokyo |
| JETRO office | JETRO Shizuoka |
Regional Profile
Strength of the region's industries and economy
Behind Hamamatsu’s progress as a city has been the process of the “spirit of manufacturing” being intertwined with the development of, and structural changes to, Japanese industry – from the textiles industry, launched at the end of the Edo Period, to automatic looms and other machinery industries, and further on to musical instruments and transport equipment. Industrial development has followed the standard course from the industrial productization of primary industries to mechanization and electronification. With the emergence of several companies that have swept the world market, however, there has been multi-tier concentration through industrial development, development of sophisticated technology, and divisions of labor within the region, and the manufacturing industry, centered on textiles, musical instruments, and transport equipment, has taken firm root.
Strength of the region's education/research institutes
The Hamamatsu area possesses great potential for stimulating and developing local industry, hosting as it does academic research institutions such as Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka Institute of Science and Technology, and the Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries, public testing laboratories such as the Hamamatsu Technical Support Center of the Shizuoka Prefecture Industrial Research Institute, and industrial support organizations such as the Organization for Hamamatsu Technopolis and the Hamanako Institute Corporation.
Industry-government-academia collaboration
Hamamatsu is currently undertaking several national projects, including the Hamamatsu Optronics Cluster plan to create a knowledge cluster initiative, and the HIT-VIT industrial cluster programs. Authorization has also been granted for a local revitalization project, “Hamamatsu Manufacturing Industry Revitalization Program through Utilization of Intellectual Bases”. Hamamatsu Photonics, which contributed to Dr. Masatoshi Koshiba’s 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics, Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, and other research institutions are conducting high-level research in optics technology and a variety of other fields. These organizations have already achieved a number of developments, garnering attention as a typical successful example of the cluster policy.
Strength of the region's infrastructure
Situated approximately midway between Tokyo and Osaka, Hamamatsu is about 90 minutes from both Tokyo and Osaka and about 30 minutes from Nagoya via the Tokaido Shinkansen (Hikari Express), putting the city within commuting range of these three metropolitan areas. The transport infrastructure gives access to railways, expressways, sea routes, and air routes; the Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport is scheduled to open in 2009, while sea transport is available from Mikawa Port, Omaezaki Port, Shimizu Port, etc.
<Land>
The major artery Tomei Expressway linking western and eastern Japan cuts through Hamamatsu City, giving efficient road access to Nagoya in about 1 hour and Tokyo and Osaka in about 3 hours. The Second Tomei Expressway is currently under construction, making future road travel even more convenient.
<Air>
Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport, scheduled to open in 2009, will offer domestic flights to Hokkaido, Kyushu and other points nationwide as well as international flights mainly to Asian destinations; the airport will be located about 40 minutes away by car.
<Sea>
Shimizu Port, a maritime logistics base with one of the highest trade volumes of any port in Japan, and Omaezaki Port, an international logistics base continuing to upgrade its functions, are both located in Shizuoka Prefecture, while next door in eastern Aichi Prefecture is Mikawa Port; these ports offer more than adequate access to shipping.
<Railway>
Tokyo and Osaka can be reached in about 90 minutes and Nagoya in about 30 minutes by the JR Tokaido Shinkansen (Hikari express); all three major metropolitan areas are thus readily accessible.
Services for investment in Japan
| Menu of services | Fees charged? | Content of services |
|---|---|---|
| Providing market information | ||
| Advice on market participation | No | Simple provision of information possible, as is introduction to experts (payment required) on specialized matters |
| Consulting by external experts and advisers | No | Experts introduced (payment required) upon separate consultation |
| Arranging appointments with potential customers and partners | No | Experts introduced (payment required) upon separate consultation |
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Monitoring surveys (evaluation of products and services) | No | Experts introduced (payment required) upon separate consultation |
| Listing of potential customers and partners | No | Customers/partners introduced on a case-by-case basis |
| Listing of potential customers and partners | No | Appointments arranged upon separate consultation |
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Providing incubation facilities or other facilities | Yes | A variety of rental facilities provided to venture companies, small and medium-sized enterprises, and entrepreneurs. Tenants provided with comprehensive support, from R&D to commercialization, by the specialist incubation manager. Tenants are sought out for vacant spaces as necessary. |
| Providing incubation facilities or other facilities | No | Experts introduced (payment required) upon separate consultation |
| Providing information on procedures for investing in Japan | No | The city’s Company Location Promotion Department will provide as much assistance as possible. |
| Arranging the meetings needed to establish a base (real estate, manpower services) | No | Introducing appropriate organizations (payment may or may not be required) with regard to real estate and temporary staff |
| Introduction of available properties and advice on hiring personnel | No | Showcasing subdivision lots for sale, etc. |
| Providing information on permits and licensing procedures | No | Simple provision of information and introduction to experts (payment required) |
| Providing information on subsidy programs | No | Providing information and carrying out procedures for subsidies offered by Hamamatsu City and Shizuoka Prefecture |
Available incentives
Manufacturing companies, research institutes, software companies, industrial design companies, etc., are eligible for subsidies totaling more than 3 billion yen toward lot acquisition costs, new employment/facility investment costs, property taxes, city planning taxes, and business office taxes (asset based). While the principal requirements vary by subsidy, subsidies are available up to 20% of land acquisition costs and 500,000 yen for each newly hired employee (to a maximum of 400 million yen). Subsidies for facility investment cover up to 10% of the plant construction and machinery/equipment purchase costs connected with production, research, etc. (up to 100 million yen, with up to 2 billion yen exceptionally available for large-scale facilities). In addition, companies that have already received subsidies from Hamamatsu City can, for a three-year period starting from the fiscal year following the start of operations, receive subsidies equivalent to property, city planning, and business office taxes (asset basis) up to 200 million yen for any single fiscal year.
Living environment for foreigners
| Living environment | Hamamatsu is located almost midway between Tokyo and Osaka, enjoying a warm climate and pleasant natural surroundings even in winter. The city’s pro-active attitude, the “give it a try” spirit inherited from its ancestors, is alive and well, and Hamamatsu continues to develop as a dynamic city with technological and other developments giving rise to the promising new optical technology industry. As of April 1, 2008, registered foreign residents accounted for 30,000 of Hamamatsu’s total population of 820,000. Accordingly, the city’s many ethnic shops give it a visibly cosmopolitan flavor, and imported foods and other items are readily available. The city has also opened a Hamamatsu Multicultural Center to help foreign residents settle in, and is engaged in other efforts designed to build a convivial society comfortable for all. |
|---|---|
| International schools | Hamamatsu has seven foreign schools for students from Latin America employing curricula based on those used in their home countries, and these schools have played an important role in the education of foreign children. Junior high school students of foreign nationality demonstrating the willingness and ability to learn can enroll in the International Class offered by Hamamatsu City High School to exercise their capabilities. |
| Health services catering to foreigners | Hamamatsu Medical Center, etc. |
| Other | Hamamatsu is home to three foreign-affiliated companies as well as research institutes, and an environment friendly to foreign company employees and researchers has been established. The Hamamatsu Foundation for International Communications and Exchanges (HICE) has an office in the city, from which it supports exchange with foreigners and provides services tailored to their needs. |
Links to Related Websites
