Investing in Japan
Regional Information
Tokyo
Tokyo, a world-class city with a high-level concentration of core functions such as politics, economics, industry, and information
- Your Regional Guide
Inquiry form
Tokyo Business Entry Point
2-8-1 Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Prefecture 163-8001
TEL: +81-3-5320-4889 FAX: +81-3-5388-1465
- Basic Information
- Regional Profile
- Services for investment in Japan
- Available incentives
- Living environment for foreigners
- Links to Related Websites
Basic Information
| Population | 12.65 million (Male: 6.30 million, Female: 6.35 million) (2006) |
|---|---|
| Labor force | 6.84 million (Male: 4.05 million, Female: 2.79 million) (2006) |
| Area | 2187km² (2006) |
| GDP | 89,567 billion yen (2004) |
| Major industries | Transport and communication industries; wholesalers; eating and drinking establishments; retail, financial, and insurance industries; publishing and printing industries; electronic device manufacturing industries |
| Developing industries | Animation industry, information and communications-related industries, lifestyle service industries, medical and social service industries |
| JETRO office | JETRO Headquarters, Tokyo |
Regional Profile
Strength of the region's industries and economy
Tokyo, the national capital, is Japan’s political, economic, and cultural center, and the center of consumption in the country. Tokyo contains a variety of industries, with an especially large concentration of corporate headquarters, creating a hive of economic activity. The city constantly gives rise to new fashions and cultural phenomena, and a wide variety of information is transmitted to the rest of Japan and throughout the world. Famous sites and historical landmarks can be found and traditional culture remains alive, and the city presents an innovative face with a lingering patina of tradition. More than 720,000 business establishments in Tokyo, over 90% of them small and medium businesses. About 8.6 million people work in Tokyo, about 70% of them as employees of small and medium businesses. These small and medium companies boast sophisticated technology and high levels of productivity and are major contributors to Tokyo’s growth and continued vitality. In addition, about 70% of the foreign companies in Japan are concentrated in Tokyo, while growing numbers of joint research projects between universities and industries have built up networks linking educational institutions and companies, so that a wide variety of resources are to be found in the metropolis. Impressive large-scale development projects are being constructed all over Tokyo in areas such as Marunouchi, Otemachi, Yaesu, Shiodome, Roppongi, Rinkai, and Akihabara.
Strength of the region's education/research institutes
Not only does Tokyo have a concentration of research institutes and faculties of science and engineering in academic fields closely connected with industry; it has the greatest cluster of high-quality institutions in Japan. Besides being covered by a complex network of public transportation facilities, it is also blessed with a human infrastructure that makes it a treasure trove of human resources.
Strength of the region's infrastructure
<Land>
A network of highways, such as the Tomei Expressway, Tohoku Expressway, Kanetsu Expressway, and Joban Expressway, radiates out from Tokyo to the entire nation. In addition, a system of ring roads, including the Central Circular Route, Tokyo Outer Ring Road, and Metropolitan Inter-City Expressway, is under construction, with the goal of relieving chronic traffic congestion.
<Air>
Narita International Airport can be accessed by train from central Tokyo in about 60 minutes. Ever since the opening of Narita International Airport, which is located in the northern part of Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo International Airport in central Tokyo has taken on the role of principal airport for domestic routes, creating a network that links Japan’s major cities.
<Sea>
The Port of Tokyo is Japan’s principal port for international trade, and it functions as the international logistics base for a massive inland consumer market centered on the National Capital Region. Furthermore, high-standard container terminals have been put in place, enhancing and shoring up the port’s functions as an international trading port. The city’s aim is to form a new international trade and business zone that serves as an engine for Tokyo’s economic vitality, with links among the port’s logistical facilities, such as the Aomi Container Terminal, international convention facilities in Waterfront City, and information and communication facilities.
<Railway>
A number of rail lines originate at Tokyo Station, including the Tohoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen, Tokaido Shinkansen, and Hokuriku Shinkansen, linking Tokyo directly with major cities such as Osaka, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Sendai. Tokyo and the National Capital Region are covered with a web of JR lines and private rail lines, as well as a veritable lattice of subway lines, which together form a high-density rail network running on a precise schedule.
Foreign company(s) operating in the industry
Many foreign companies are located here.
Services for investment in Japan
| Menu of services | Fees charged? | Content of services |
|---|---|---|
| Providing market information | ||
| Advice on market participation | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Consulting by external experts and advisers | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Arranging appointments with potential customers and partners | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Monitoring surveys (evaluation of products and services) | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Listing of potential customers and partners | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Listing of potential customers and partners | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Support for establishing a base | ||
| Providing incubation facilities or other facilities | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Providing incubation facilities or other facilities | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Providing information on procedures for investing in Japan | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Arranging the meetings needed to establish a base (real estate, manpower services) | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Introduction of available properties and advice on hiring personnel | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Providing information on permits and licensing procedures | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
| Providing information on subsidy programs | No | Services available at Tokyo Business Entry Point |
Support service
Tokyo Business Entry Point is a one-stop service center for information on business and everyday life for companies doing business in Tokyo and for their expatriate employees. It provides a wide range of information through its website and service centers while maintaining ties with relevant organizations.
<Information about business>
1）Information about permits 2）Information about support projects administered by public institutions 3) Information about offices 4）Information about private support companies 5）Information about conventions 6）Information about matching companies 7）Information about links among industry, academia, and government
<Information about everyday life>
1）Information about everyday life for foreign residents 2）Information about consultation centers for foreign residents 3）Information about medical facilities 4）Information about housing 5）Information about educational institutions
The Tokyo Business Entry Point welcomes inquiries both from companies that are already doing business in Tokyo and those that are considering doing business in Tokyo.
Database of candidate partners
- TOKYO TRADE CENTER, Tokyo Metropolitan Small Business Center
The Tokyo Metropolitan Small Business Center, a relevant organization of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, provides support for small and medium businesses in Tokyo. It has the Tokyo Trade Center, which provides information for companies that want to do business overseas.
The Tokyo Trade Center home page offers a database of companies and organizations in Tokyo, available for foreign companies searching for a Japanese partner.
It features the ability to search by entering the (1) product or industry, (2) key words, or (3) the name of the company. It is equipped with search tools that allow even the smallest amount of information to help find a company that meets one’s needs. The database is available in English as well as in Japanese.
Available incentives
Tokyo Business Entry Point, a one-stop service center for foreign companies, provides necessary information to foreign companies or individuals before and after they set up businesses in Tokyo. All services are free of charge.
<Subsidies and Tax Reduction Measures>
Support measures for small and medium businesses include low-interest financing, subsidies, and tax preferences, among others. Foreign companies may avail themselves of these benefits if they establish a Japanese corporation.
<Other Support Measures>
Tokyo Business Entry Point is a one-stop service center that provides business information, such as information about permits and information about matching companies, as well as information about everyday life, such as housing and schools. The service center is located on the 30th floor of Tokyo Metropolitan Main Building No. 1, and English-speaking advisors are available on weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (excluding the hour between noon and 1:00 p.m.). Tokyo Business Entry Point handles inquiries (by e-mail or telephone or in person) from foreign companies that are already doing business in Tokyo, and from those that want to start doing business in Tokyo.
Living environment for foreigners
| International schools | There are about 30 international schools in the Tokyo Metropolitan area. |
|---|---|
| Health services catering to foreigners | Residents can search for hospitals that offer services in foreign languages (12 languages) through Tokyo Metropolitan Medical Institution Information. |
| Other | Tokyo Metropolitan Foreign Residents’ Advisory Center can provide advice on everyday life in general. |
Links to Related Websites
