Investing in Japan
Regional Information
Nagoya city
Nagoya: A city with world-leading industrial technologies
- Your Regional Guide: Kenji Hatano
Inquiry form
Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center
Nagoya Chamber of Commerce and Industry 11F, 2-10-19 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya-city, Aichi Prefecture 460-0008
TEL: +81-52-223-5409 FAX: +81-52-223-5404
- Basic Information
- Regional Profile
- Services for investment in Japan
- Available incentives
- Living environment for foreigners
- Links to Related Websites
Basic Information
| Population | 2.24 million (2008) |
|---|---|
| Labor force | 1.19 million (2008) |
| Area | 326km² (2008) |
| GDP | 12,167 billion yen (2004) |
| Major industries | Automobiles, fine ceramics, aircrafts/rockets and machine tools |
| Developing industries | Environment, medical care/welfare/health, information, advanced science technologies including new manufacturing technologies |
| Offices in Japan | Tokyo |
| JETRO office | JETRO Nagoya |
Regional Profile
Strength of the region's industries and economy
With a population of over 2.2 million, the city of Nagoya is located more or less at the center of Japan. As a center for business, it has formed one of the three major metropolitan areas of Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya). It has the greatest concentration of manufacturing industries in Japan. It produces 40% or more of Japan’s automobiles, automobile parts, machine tools, and aircraft parts, which are the major sectors of the country’s manufacturing industries, and serves as a driving force of the Japanese economy. The leading companies in Japan’s automobile industry, the aerospace industry, and machine tool and other manufacturing industries are clustered in this geographical area, making it an optimal location for business development.
Size of the Nagoya area economy
- The Nagoya area accounts for approximately 1% of the global GDP.
- The aggregate regional production of Greater Nagoya places 17th among the world's countries in GDP size.
- In a global comparison of per capita GDP, Nagoya far surpasses the average for Japan, with aggregate figures that put it generally on a par with the United States.
The Nagoya area also accounts for 10.7% of gross regional product in Japan, and 70% of that figure comes from Aichi Prefecture (including Nagoya) aggregate production.
Strength of the region's education/research institutes
20 universities, 8 junior colleges, 63 high schools (in 2006)
Nagoya University and Nagoya Institute of Technology are among the science and engineering universities clustered in the area. There are also institutions such as Nanzan University that accept students from other countries. Nagoya International School is located near the Nagoya Science Park site.
Science, engineering, pharmaceutical, and medical universities in the city
Nagoya University, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya City University, Aichi Gakuin University, Daido Institute of Technology, Toyota Technological Institute, Meijo University
Strength of the region's infrastructure
Being “right in the middle” gives the Nagoya area superb transportation access and makes it an optimal physical distribution center.
- Air routes: Nagoya is linked to the world by Central Japan International Airport, and from its central location in Japan's transportation network, the area is convenient for movement to all areas of Japan. It is optimally suited to be a business and physical distribution center.
- Land routes: A key expressway center, Nagoya has the most advanced road system in Japan. From this point between the Tomei Expressway, which goes to Tokyo, and the Meishin Expressway, which goes to Kobe, highway travel time to Tokyo is approximately four hours and to Osaka approximately two hours.
- Sea routes: Nagoya Port, which handles goods accounting for approximately 73% of Japan's trade surplus, is Japan's largest port and a physical distribution gateway to the world.
<Land>
The Nagoya area has the most improved road system in Japan.
To Tokyo, approximately 325 km by the Tomei Expressway
To Osaka, approximately 183 km by the Meishin Expressway
From this point between the Tomei Expressway, which goes to Tokyo, and the Meishin Expressway, which goes to Kobe, highway travel time to Tokyo is approximately four hours and to Osaka approximately two hours. The No. 2 Tomei Expressway and the Tokai-Kanjo Expressway, presently under construction, will further link Nagoya and Tokyo.
Major national roads and expressways also offer ready access to the Japan Sea side of Japan. As it becomes increasingly convenient for physical distribution and transportation, Greater Nagoya will be optimally suited as a base for businesses targeting the entire Japanese economy.
<Air>
- The only major airport in Japan to have domestic and international lines integrated within the same building, this offshore airport offers convenient connections and little loss of time.
- Nagoya Station can be reached by train in 28 minutes at the fastest. From Nagoya Station, it is possible to travel to Tokyo, Osaka, and other major cities by Shinkansen.
- Proximity to Nagoya Port makes sea and air transport possible. Physical distribution centers could be built in the Nagoya Port waterfront area to take advantage of multimodal transport using cargo planes to air-freight goods from Central Japan International Airport.
- International routes offer service to 33 cities, and domestic routes to 20 cities (as of January 2008).
<Sea>
Nagoya Port, which handles goods accounting for approximately 73% of Japan's trade surplus, is Japan's largest port
- Surpassing Port of Tokyo, Port of Yokohama, Osaka Port, and Port of Kobe, Nagoya has led Japan in total freight handled for five years running. It has been number one in value of trade for six years running. This is Japan's leading physical distribution gateway to the world.
- With connections to some 150 countries and regions, Nagoya Port could expand one's perspective outward to Asia's physical distribution centers.
- The waterfront area is larger than the area of Port of Tokyo and Port of Yokohama combined. The port handled 187.13 million tons of cargo in 2005, of which 121.96 million tons was international and 65.17 million tons was domestic.
<Railway>
Nagoya Station is the largest terminal station in Greater Nagoya.
It connects to all parts of the Nagoya urban area and all of Japan by four railways, by subways, and by bus lines.
All trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line stop in Nagoya.
Nagoya's location between Tokyo and Osaka means rapid transport is possible to both.
Travel by rail between Tokyo and Nagoya takes 95 minutes, between Nagoya and Osaka 50 minutes, and between Nagoya and Yokohama 80 minutes.
Services for investment in Japan
| Menu of services | Fees charged? | Content of services |
|---|---|---|
| Providing market information | ||
| Consulting by external experts and advisers | Fundamentally free of charge | Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center (I-BAC) |
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Listing of potential customers and partners | Fundamentally free of charge | Information was provided by JETRO Nagoya and the Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center (I-BAC). |
| Listing of potential customers and partners | Fundamentally free of charge | Information was provided by JETRO Nagoya and the Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center (I-BAC). |
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Providing incubation facilities or other facilities | Yes | The IBSC temporary offices at JETRO Nagoya can be used at no charge for 50 working days. Nabi KANAYAMA and nabi SHIRAKANE facilities are ready for use in the Nagoya city center, as are the Science Exchange Plaza Incubator Rooms in Nagoya Science Park. Rental fees are subsidized by 10–50% for five years (up to the subsidy limit) from initial occupancy. *Occupancy involves screening. |
| Providing incubation facilities or other facilities | Fundamentally free of charge | Information was provided by JETRO Nagoya and the Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center (I-BAC). |
| Providing information on procedures for investing in Japan | Fundamentally free of charge | Information was provided by JETRO Nagoya and the Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center (I-BAC). |
| Arranging the meetings needed to establish a base (real estate, manpower services) | Fundamentally free of charge | Information was provided by JETRO Nagoya and the Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center (I-BAC). |
| Introduction of available properties and advice on hiring personnel | Fundamentally free of charge | Information was provided by JETRO Nagoya and the Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center (I-BAC). |
| Providing information on permits and licensing procedures | Fundamentally free of charge | Information was provided by JETRO Nagoya and the Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center (I-BAC). |
| Providing information on subsidy programs | Fundamentally free of charge | Information was provided by JETRO Nagoya and the Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center (I-BAC). |
Support service
Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center (I-BAC)
I-BAC is a one-stop service organization that offers information, various consultation services and advice to foreign companies that need to establish a presence in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya.Inquiries are welcome from Japanese companies that are interested in business matching with foreign companies that have already moved into the area.
I-BAC services include the following:
- Information on business partners
- Information about incentives
- Information on office and plant siting
- Information on human resources
- Information on living in the area
- Introduction of specialists and supporting businesses
- Consultation and advice on permits and procedures for establishing a business presence
Available incentives
<Subsidies to promote relocation by foreign companies>
Subsidize half of study and other expenses involved in establishing a place of business for foreign companies opening new businesses in the city
- Limit of 1.5 million yen (1 million yen in the case of secondary relocation) *Secondary relocation refers to relocation by companies that already have a place of business elsewhere in Japan.
<Subsidies to promote establishment of businesses in the city center>
Companies that are establishing new places of business inside the city
- Applicable in six priority sectors*
- For establishment in leased space in the city center
- For facilities with floor space of 100m² or more or 10 or more employees
*The city center refers to the vicinity of Nagoya Station and the Fushimi and Sakae areas among the urban renaissance urgent development areas.
Subsidize three months of building lease costs
- Limit of 3 million yen
- Limit of 6 million yen for large scale facilities (1,000m² or more or 100 or more employees)
*Six priority sectors: Manufacturing technology sector; environment and energy sector; medical, health, and welfare sector; information and telecommunications sector; design and fashion sector; business support services sector
Living environment for foreigners
| Living environment | Housing conditions are less crowded than in Tokyo, road signs and other facilities have been improved to take account of foreign residents, and there are international schools in the city that offer education in English. The Nagoya International Center (NIC) also provides resident and lifestyle information and consultation services. Consultations regarding municipal government matters are offered to foreign residents at no charge. The NIC Nihongo no Kai has organized Japanese language classrooms staffed by cooperating volunteers to provide basic Japanese language instruction and resident and lifestyle information to foreign residents in the Nagoya area. |
|---|---|
| International schools | Nagoya International School: This school has a 40-year history of offering high-quality education from kindergarten to higher secondary school. |
| Health services catering to foreigners | The Aichi Medical Information System makes it possible to search for hospitals in the prefecture that have staff members who can work in foreign languages. |
Links to Related Websites
- City of Nagoya
- Aichi-Nagoya International Business Access Center
- Nagoya International Center
- Aichi Medical Information System
- Greater Nagoya
