Investing in Japan
Regional Information
Hokkaido
Support for distinctive industry creation through collaborations with a diversity of universities and research institutes and top class, preferential treatment
- Your Regional Guide
Inquiry form
Industrial Locational Development Division, Department of Economic Affairs
Kita 3-jo Nishi 6-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-city, Hokkaido Prefecture 060-8588
TEL: +81-11-231-4111 FAX: +81-11-232-2139
- Basic Information
- Regional Profile
- Services for investment in Japan
- Available incentives
- Living environment for foreigners
- Links to Related Websites
Basic Information
| Population | 5.57 million (Male: 2.65 million, Female: 2.92 million) (2008) |
|---|---|
| Labor force | 2.78 million (Male: 1.60 million, Female: 1.18 million) (2007) |
| Area | 83,456km² (2007) |
| GDP | 19,742 billion yen (2005) |
| Major industries | Food products; pulp, paper, and paper products; petroleum and coal products; iron and steel; transport equipment instruments |
| Developing industries | Automotive-related industries; information and communications-related industries; software industry; biotech-related industries; recycling industry |
| Offices overseas | Yuzhno-SakhalinskRussian Federation/Seoul, South Korea |
| Offices in Japan | Tokyo/Osaka city, Osaka Prefecture/Nagoya city, Aichi Prefecture |
| JETRO office | JETRO Hokkaido |
Regional Profile
Strength of the region's industries and economy
Hokkaido continues to attract attention as a cluster region for the manufacturing industry. In particular, the recent large-scale capital investment by leading automotive-related companies has motivated related companies to expand into the Hokkaido region, spurring a dramatic expansion in the local concentration of automotive and electronic parts companies.
Also, there has been a steady increase in the number of information and communications-related companies with their sights set on the global market, as represented by the growth of “Sapporo Valley”. This increase has included a notable increase in software development firms from outside Hokkaido, thanks to the wealth of talented human resources available in the region. Hokkaido is also becoming the site of one of Japan’s leading biotechnology clusters, due to such factors as the numerous biotech venture companies springing from the region’s universities.
Strength of the region's education/research institutes
With 28 graduate schools, 38 universities, 21 two-year colleges, 5 technical colleges and numerous higher educational institutions, Hokkaido is a major producer of talented human resources. In addition, there are 20 public testing and research institutions which provide support to corporate activities.
The sprawling northern section of Hokkaido University’s campus is home to the university’s research facility, the Creative Research Initiative “Sousei”, the Institute of Low Temperature Science and the Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine; in addition, it is home to the Northern Advancement Center for Science and Technology, a private facility established in accordance with the Law for Facilitating Governmental Research Exchange. Furthermore, publicly-owned land adjacent to the university campus is home to public research and testing facilities, such as the Hokkaido Industrial Research Institute, as well as the Japan Science and Technology Corporation’s JST Innovation Plaza Hokkaido. This area represents a cluster of scientific and technological research and development capability and industry-academia-government collaboration and is known as the “Hokkaido University North Campus and Surrounding Area”. It is an area of steadily accumulating cutting-edge research which is capturing attention as a global trendsetter for collaboration on research and development between industry, academia, and the government.
Industry-government-academia collaboration
Hokkaido’s regional industry cluster planning seeks to create a virtuous circle between the areas of IT and biotech – where innovation is expected – with those local industries, such as the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industry and the food and tourism industries – which represent Hokkaido’s strengths. Towards this end the “Hokkaido Innovation Strategy” and the “Hokkaido Biotechnology Industry Growth Strategy” have been created along with 10 support projects currently underway. Also, the “Innovation COE Program for Future Drug Discovery and Medical Care”, centered on Hokkaido University’s Graduate School of Life Science and Faculty of Advanced Life Science and Graduate School of Medicine, is a creative research initiative involving Shionogi Co., Ltd. and Hitachi, Ltd. which aims to create a fusion of next-generation medicines which utilize protein repair technology with individually tailored medical therapies utilizing optical measurement technology. In May, work on the Shionogi Innovation Center for Drug Discovery – one of the core facilities in this program – was completed. The facility is the first private research facility in Japan to be constructed on the campus of a national university, and it is expected to accelerate the pace of future research.
Strength of the region's infrastructure
Hokkaido offers 13 airports and 43 ports, making it highly accessible to both overseas and domestic locations. Also, in 2005 work started on the Hokkaido shinkansen (bullet train), which is expected to bolster ease of access to the Tokyo metropolitan area.
<Land>
Work is progressing on expressways and other roads within Hokkaido in order to facilitate automobile transportation. Currently there are 668 km of roads connecting the main cities in Hokkaido; after work is completed this will increase to 1,825 km. Access from the main distribution points of New Chitose Airport and Tomakomai Port to different cities is well-established.
<Air>
Of the 13 airports in Hokkaido, nine provide access to Tokyo and other major cities. In particular, the New Chitose Airport offers 33 domestic routes and 11 international routes which, combined, service approximately 18,360,000 people a year (2007). Of these routes, the route between New Chitose Airport and Tokyo services more than 1 million passengers a year, making it one of the world’s busiest air routes.
<Sea>
Hokkaido has 43 sea ports and maintains 20 cargo ship routes with destinations outside of Hokkaido. In addition, the Ishikari Bay New Port, Tomakomai Port and others maintain eight outgoing cargo ship routes.
<Railway>
In 2005 work began on the Hokkaido shinkansen (bullet train). When it is completed, it is expected to serve as a main transportation line between the Tokyo metropolitan area and Sapporo, going between the two in approximately four hours.
Foreign company(s) operating in the industry
Hokkaido is pursuing the sophisticated technological capability demanded by companies expanding worldwide and is actively establishing itself as a technological center for software development, etc. In 2006 the Japanese arm of the global management consulting firm Accenture established its system development center in Sapporo.
Services for investment in Japan
| Menu of services | Fees charged? | Content of services |
|---|---|---|
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Introduction of available properties and advice on hiring personnel | No | Handled by the Industrial Location Section of the Industrial Location Office in the Hokkaido Economic Department (Japanese only). |
| Providing information on subsidy programs | No | Given on the website of the Industrial Location Section of the Industrial Location Promotion Bureau in the Hokkaido Economic Department |
Available incentives
With the establishment of the Hokkaido Code on Industrial Promotion, the Government of Hokkaido this year began a new support system for site location. Up to 3.5 billion yen (automotive-related industries) is available for automotive-related industries, electric and electronics industries, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Living environment for foreigners
| Living environment | Hokkaido is located between Japan’s northern latitudes of 41º and 45º, nearly identical to the latitude of Boston or Chicago in America or London, Rome, or Munich in Europe, and it boasts Japan’s grandest, most beautiful natural environment. It features a climate similar to Europe and North America with the appeal of a gentle, cold-weather living environment. |
|---|---|
| International schools | Sapporo offers international schools providing a full educational environment for children from overseas. |
| Health services catering to foreigners | Foreigners can find emergency medical care and regional disaster information in several languages. |
Links to Related Websites
- Hokkaido Government
- Business Investment
- HOKKAIDO BIO TECHNOLOGY INDUSTER CLUSTER FORUM
- Hokkaido GURURI-TABI
