Investing in Japan
Regional Information
Tochigi
A technology-oriented prefecture in the National Capital Region with a concentration of high-tech industries: “Tochigi: Home of New Industries”
- Your Regional Guide
Inquiry form
International Economics Administrative Section、Investment Promotion Group
1-1-20 Hanawada, Utsunomiya-city, Tochigi Prefecture 320-8501
TEL: +81-28-623-3165 +81-28-623-3202 FAX: +81-28-623-2199 +81-28-623-3167
- Basic Information
- Regional Profile
- Services for investment in Japan
- Available incentives
- Links to Related Websites
Basic Information
| Population | 2.01 million (Male: 1.00 million, Female: 1.01 million) (2007) |
|---|---|
| Labor force | 1.32 million (Male: 0.68 million, Female: 0.64 million) (2007) |
| Area | 6,408km² (2005) |
| GDP | 8,218 billion yen (2005) |
| Major industries | Transport machinery, information devices, electrical equipment, beverages/cigarettes, general machinery |
| Developing industries | Automotive, medical/biotechnology, medical devices, a concentration of research and development facilities |
| Offices overseas | Hong Kong |
| Offices in Japan | Tokyo |
| JETRO office | JETRO Headquarters, Tokyo |
Regional Profile
Strength of the region's industries and economy
Tochigi prefecture has a high percentage of secondary industries, and manufacturing industries in particular comprise 36.6% of all production within the prefecture. This is a high percentage compared to other prefectures in Japan as a whole, making Tochigi a “manufacturing prefecture,” a place where the manufacturing industries drive the prefecture’s economy. As a result, the concentration of manufacturing technology and human resources in Tochigi yields high productivity, and the total shipment of manufactured goods exceed 8 trillion yen worth of manufactured goods.
Strength of the region's education/research institutes
In Tochigi, there are 10 universities, including Utsunomiya University, Ashikaga Institute of Technology, Teikyo University Faculty of Science and Engineering, Dokkyo Medical University, Jichi Medical University, and the International University of Health and Welfare; as well as 6 junior colleges, Oyama National College of Technology, and other vocational schools, all of which provide a fresh crop of high-quality workers every year. Research and development institutions include the Industrial Technology Center of Tochigi Prefecture, Tochigi Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station, the Tochigi Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environmental Science, and the Tochigi Sangyou Kouryu Center. They provide support for increasing sophistication in technology, and improvements in technological ability, as well as support for new businesses and new business sectors.
Industry-government-academia collaboration
<Utilization of Tochigi Prefecture Advanced Technology Industry-Academia Cooperation Area>
- Objectives
As a result of active efforts to implement industrialization policies in the past, Tochigi prefecture has a concentrated sector of Japan’s major high-level industries and research institutes, including electronics, semiconductors, medical care supplies and pharmaceuticals, and transport equipment. We are promoting the creation of new businesses within the prefecture that make use of such technical/human resources cultivated in the region. We have also placed effort into attracting research-based companies and high-tech industries that relate to this project in order to increase the concentration of such businesses even further.
- Locations
The designated locations, five cities and four towns, are located at the center of the prefecture near the prefectural capital of Utsunomiya at a transportation hub that is served by the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Tohoku Expressway running north and south, and the Kita-Kanto Expressway and Nikko-Utsunomiya High Way running east to west.
- The Designated Locations
The five cities of Utsunomiya, Kanuma (formerly the City of Kanuma region), Nikko (formerly the City of Imaichi region), Moka, and Shimotsuke (formerly the Ishibashi-machi region), and the four towns of Kaminokawa, Haga, Mibu, and Takanezawa.
Strength of the region's infrastructure
Tochigi Prefecture enjoys an excellent location, being only 60 to 160 km from Tokyo, and is blessed with year-round natural beauty. It holds great promise for further prosperity as a base of operations for the National Capital Region. People and goods move in large numbers across this region, thanks to the Tohoku Expressway and Tohoku Shinkansen, which run across the prefecture, creating an east-west route, and the Kita- Kanto Expressway, which is scheduled to connect the coasts of the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Japan. Currently, automotive and digital industries are experiencing particularly good results, and an increasing number of companies are relocating or concentrating their research and development programs here.
<Land>
Running from north to south in Tochigi are the Tohoku Expressway (between Kawaguchi and Aomori) and extensive trunk highways such as Route 4 and New Route 4. Running east to west is Route 50, which links the southern part of the prefecture with Ibaraki and Gunma prefectures.
<Air>
It takes about 1 hour to travel from Fukushima Airport to the Tohoku Expressway Utsunomiya Interchange. The Tochigi Heliport is also available within the prefecture.
<Sea>
The full length of the Kita-Kanto Expressway, traversing Gunma, Tochigi, and Ibaraki prefectures, will be opened to traffic in 2011. This will serve as a link to the Port of Hitachinaka in Ibaraki Prefecture, an international logistics port.
Services for investment in Japan
| Menu of services | Fees charged? | Content of services |
|---|---|---|
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Providing incubation facilities or other facilities | Yes | Facilities of the Tochigi Sangyou Kouryu Center Co., Ltd. can be used. |
Available incentives
Several types of subsidies and financing systems are available for companies planning to establish themselves in Tochigi prefecture.
Links to Related Websites
