This article provides a detailed introduction to the geographical distribution of Japan’s high-tech industry, covering nine major regions from Hokkaido to Okinawa. Each region exhibits unique technological characteristics and industrial advantages, reflecting Japan’s strategic layout in promoting balanced regional development and technological innovation.

Hokkaido focuses on environmental and agricultural technology; the Tohoku region is dedicated to post-disaster reconstruction and renewable energy; the Kanto region is Japan’s largest high-tech center, involving many cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence and financial technology; the central region is known for advanced manufacturing; The Western region has outstanding performance in life sciences and cultural technology; the Chinese region (Western Japan) focuses on the upgrading of traditional industries; Shikoku develops characteristic medical and marine technologies; Kyushu has become an emerging technological innovation center; Okinawa uses its unique geographical location to develop marine and tropical technologies . It mainly highlights the core cities and main R&D areas in each region, providing a comprehensive industrial distribution guide for companies interested in entering the Japanese market.

Hokkaido area

As the northernmost major island in Japan, Hokkaido has opened up a unique development path in the field of high-tech industry by virtue of its unique geographical location and natural environment. The three core cities in the region – Sapporo, Asahikawa and Hakodate – have each formed distinctive industrial characteristics and innovation ecosystems.

Sapporo Metropolitan Area: A hub of innovation and sustainable development

As the economic and technological center of Hokkaido, Sapporo focuses on the development of three major technological fields. The first is environmental technology and sustainable development, utilizing Hokkaido’s rich natural resources to achieve remarkable results in renewable energy, ecological protection and environmental monitoring. The local “Hokkaido Green Fund” has provided interest-free loan support of up to 100 million yen to environmental technology start-ups.

Secondly, thanks to its cold climate, Sapporo is unique in cold chain logistics technology. The “Sapporo Cold Chain Industrial Park” brings together more than 50 related companies and has developed a series of advanced low-temperature storage and transportation solutions. The park provides companies with five-year rental exemptions and equipment subsidies and other preferential policies.

Agricultural science and technology has received full attention here. The “Sapporo Agricultural Innovation Center” invests 2 billion yen every year to support the research and development of smart agriculture adapted to cold climates. The center also collaborates with Hokkaido University to provide free laboratories and technical guidance to agricultural technology entrepreneurs.

The “Sapporo City ICT Utilization Strategy” launched by the Sapporo City Government provides high-tech companies with an income tax reduction of up to 50% and establishes an annual innovation fund of 100 million yen. “Sapporo Technology Park”, as a major science and technology park, provides settled companies with a half-rent discount for up to three years. Sapporo holds the “Hokkaido Innovation Expo” every year, attracting more than 1,000 domestic and foreign companies to participate in the exhibition, providing excellent international cooperation opportunities for local companies.

Asahikawa City: Pioneer of Medical Technology

Relying on its traditional advantages in precision manufacturing, Asahikawa City has formed an industrial cluster focused on the development of medical equipment suitable for use in severe cold areas. “Asahikawa Medical Innovation Park” brings together more than 30 medical device companies, with an annual output value of 50 billion yen.

Asahikawa Medical University plays a key role in industry-university-research cooperation, providing more than 100 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The “Medical-Industry Collaboration Promotion Project” launched by the city government provides subsidies of up to 50 million yen for medical device research and development projects and bears 50% of patent application fees.

“Asahikawa Winter Medical Equipment Testing Center” provides companies with equipment testing services in simulated extreme cold environments, attracting more than 50 domestic and foreign companies every year to conduct product verification. Asahikawa City has also established a “Medical Technology Talent Introduction Plan” to provide high-level talents with a settlement subsidy of up to 3 million yen.

The Asahikawa City Government, in cooperation with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, has launched the “Medical Device Export Support Plan” to provide all-round support for local companies to expand into international markets, including market research, certification consulting, and exhibition subsidies.

Hakodate City: Innovation Base for Marine Science and Technology

Hakodate City has become an important base for marine science and technology research by virtue of its unique marine resource advantages. The Marine Science Research Center of Hokkaido University Hakodate Campus attracts more than 1,000 domestic and foreign researchers every year for academic exchanges.

“Hakodate Marine Science and Technology Park” has attracted more than 50 marine biotechnology and marine energy companies to settle in. The park provides three-year rent-free and equipment purchase subsidies of up to 100 million yen to newly settled marine technology companies.

The “Blue Economic Development Plan” launched by the Hakodate City Government provides relevant enterprises with preferential land leasing policies, with rents being only 60% of the market price. In addition, the plan provides R&D funding support of 500 million yen per year, focusing on supporting fields such as marine biopharmaceuticals, marine energy, and aquaculture technology.

The “Hakodate International Marine Science and Technology Forum” has become one of the most influential marine science and technology exchange platforms in the Asia-Pacific region, attracting more than 5,000 professionals every year. Hakodate City has also established a “marine technology partnership” with the Norwegian city of Tromso, providing local companies with convenient access to the European market.

The development of high-tech industries in the Hokkaido region benefits from its complete transportation network and relatively low operating costs. The three cities of Sapporo, Asahikawa and Hakodate are closely connected by the Shinkansen, and they are all within 3 hours’ drive. New Chitose Airport has more than 30 international direct flights every week. The convenient transportation provides favorable conditions for attracting international talents and promoting business exchanges.

Compared with major cities such as Tokyo, office space rents in Hokkaido are 30-40% lower on average, and average employee wages are also 15-20% lower. The “Innovate Hokkaido” plan launched by the Hokkaido government provides one-stop services for high-tech companies, including company registration, talent recruitment, market research, etc., which greatly simplifies the business landing process.

Hokkaido’s unique natural environment and high-quality lifestyle have also become important factors in attracting talents. Many technology companies have chosen to set up “innovation resorts” here to perfectly combine work and leisure, improving employees’ innovation efficiency and loyalty. The layout of high-tech industries in Hokkaido fully embodies the development concept of “adapting measures to local conditions”, closely integrating advanced technology with local resources and needs, forming a unique innovation ecosystem. This development model not only promotes the transformation and upgrading of the local economy, but also provides valuable experience for the development of science and technology in other similar regions.

Northeastern Region

As an important scientific and technological innovation base in Japan, the Northeastern region has made significant progress in the development of high-tech industries in recent years. This region includes important areas such as Miyagi, Fukushima and Yamagata Prefectures, each with its own unique industrial characteristics and innovation focus.

Sendai City (Miyagi Prefecture): a model of energy innovation

As the largest city in the Tohoku region, Sendai City rose rapidly after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and became a research and development center for next-generation energy technology and disaster prevention technology. The “Sendai International Innovation Zone” is the core of the city’s high-tech industry, covering an area of ​​about 500 hectares and has attracted more than 200 technology companies to settle in. The special zone provides attractive preferential policies for settled companies, including corporate tax exemptions of up to 50% for five years and equipment investment subsidies of up to 200 million yen.

In terms of next-generation energy technology, the Sendai City Government and Tohoku University have cooperated to establish the “Tohoku Energy Research Alliance”, investing 5 billion yen every year in the research and development of cutting-edge technologies such as hydrogen energy and smart grids. The alliance has also established an “Energy Innovation Fund” to provide start-ups with interest-free loans of up to 100 million yen, greatly lowering the threshold for starting a business.

Disaster prevention technology is another key development area in Sendai City. The “Sendai Disaster Prevention Technology Center” brings together top experts from around the world and is committed to developing advanced earthquake early warning systems, intelligent evacuation technologies, etc. The center holds the “International Disaster Prevention Innovation Competition” every year, and winning projects can receive commercialization funding support of up to 50 million yen. In addition, the Sendai City Government has also launched the “Disaster Prevention Technology Procurement Priority Plan”, which promises to give priority to purchasing disaster prevention products developed by local companies, providing companies with stable market demand.

Sendai City’s business environment is also extremely competitive. Compared with Tokyo, office rents here are on average 40% lower, and salaries for highly qualified personnel are also relatively low. The “Sendai Global Talent Plan” launched by the city government provides high-tech companies with talent introduction subsidies, up to 30% of each person’s annual salary.

Fukushima Prefecture: Emerging Base for Green Energy and Robotics

During the post-disaster reconstruction process, Fukushima Prefecture focused its development on renewable energy and robotics, forming unique industrial advantages. “Fukushima New Energy Research and Development Center” is Japan’s largest renewable energy research and development base, with a total investment of more than 100 billion yen. The center focuses on the research of clean energy technologies such as solar energy, wind energy, and geothermal energy, and provides a full set of R&D facilities for settled companies.

The Fukushima Prefectural Government launched the “Green Energy Industry Promotion Plan” to provide new energy companies with fixed asset tax reductions of up to 70% for a period of up to 10 years. In addition, the plan also establishes an annual “Green Innovation Fund” of 500 million yen to provide seed capital for promising renewable energy projects.

In terms of robotics technology, Fukushima Prefecture has established the “Post-Disaster Reconstruction Robot R&D Center”, focusing on the development of special robots for nuclear power plant decommissioning and disaster area reconstruction. The center cooperates with the Japan Robot Association to hold the “Fukushima Robot Challenge” every year, attracting the participation of more than 500 teams from around the world and becoming an important platform for robotics technology exchanges.

The Fukushima Prefectural Government also launched the “Robot Industry Cluster Plan” to provide robot companies with relocation subsidies of up to 200 million yen and five-year rent-free benefits. This plan has attracted more than 100 robot-related companies to settle in Fukushima, forming a complete industrial chain.

The Fukushima Prefectural Government cooperated with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to establish the “Fukushima Innovation Overseas Exhibition Center” and set up branches in global innovation centers such as Silicon Valley and Shenzhen to help local companies explore international markets and enhance their global influence.

Yamagata Prefecture: Leader in organic EL technology

With its profound accumulation in organic EL (Organic Light-Emitting Diode, OLED) technology, Yamagata Prefecture has become an important base for global organic EL R&D and production. “Yamagata Organic Electronics” covers an area of ​​200 hectares and is Japan’s largest organic electronics industry cluster, bringing together a complete industrial chain from upstream materials to downstream applications.

Yamagata University plays a key role in promoting the development of organic EL technology. Its “Organic Technology” trains more than 200 professional talents every year, providing strong intellectual support for industrial development. The Yamagata Prefectural Government and Yamagata University have jointly established the “Organic EL Commercialization Support Service” to provide all-round support from technology development to marketing to small and medium-sized enterprises.

The “Special Measures for Promotion of the Organic EL Industry” launched by the Yamagata Prefectural Government provides relevant companies with extremely attractive preferential policies, including up to 80% fixed asset tax reduction (for a period of 5 years) and equipment investment subsidies of up to 500 million yen. , and R&D funding support of up to 100 million yen. These policies have effectively reduced the operating costs of enterprises and stimulated technological innovation.

In order to promote industry-university-research cooperation, Yamagata Prefecture holds the “International Organic Ecosystem Industry-Academic-Government Cooperation Program” every year, attracting the participation of more than 3,000 experts and scholars from all over the world. This forum has become one of the most influential academic exchange platforms in the field of organic EL, attracting a large number of international cooperation opportunities to Yamagata Prefecture.

Yamagata Prefecture also attaches special importance to intellectual property protection and has established an “organic EL patent pool” to help small and medium-sized enterprises reduce the cost of patent use while protecting the innovative achievements of local enterprises. The prefectural government also provides overseas patent application subsidies of up to 5 million yen to encourage companies to explore international markets.

As an important scientific and technological innovation base in Japan, the entire Northeastern region has invested heavily in infrastructure construction and talent attraction in recent years. The “Tohoku Innovation Corridor” plan closely connects the three core cities of Sendai, Fukushima and Yamagata through high-speed railways and information highways, greatly improving regional collaborative innovation capabilities.

Compared with major cities such as Tokyo, the cost of living and operating costs in Tohoku are relatively low. Office space rents are on average 50% lower than in Tokyo, and the salary levels of high-quality talents are also 15-20% lower. At the same time, the good natural environment and low life pressure here have also become important factors in attracting talents.

Counties and municipalities in the Northeast region have also jointly launched the “Northeast Innovative Talent Introduction Plan” to provide high-tech talents with a settlement subsidy of up to 5 million yen and children’s education support. Since its implementation, this plan has attracted more than 5,000 high-end talents from home and abroad to settle in Northeast China. Through clear industrial positioning and strong policy support, a unique high-tech industrial ecosystem is being formed. Whether in energy technology, disaster prevention technology, or in emerging fields such as organic EL, the Northeast region shows strong innovation vitality and development potential.

Kanto Region

As the political, economic and technological center of Japan, the Kanto region has always been a national leader in the development of high-tech industries. This region includes important areas such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, Yokohama City, Tsukuba Science City, and Saitama Prefecture, each with its own unique industrial advantages and innovation ecosystem.

Tokyo Metropolitan Area: A leader in technological innovation

As the capital region of Japan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Area leads the trend of innovation in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, financial technology, big data analysis and network security. The “Tokyo Innovation Ecosystem” plan is the core strategy to promote high-tech development in this region. The plan invests more than 100 billion yen every year to support innovation and entrepreneurship and industry-university-research cooperation.

In the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the “AI Research and Development Network” jointly established by the University of Tokyo and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has attracted the participation of more than 50 global technology giants including Google and Microsoft. The network provides joint R&D funds of up to 200 million yen to member companies and opens the University of Tokyo’s supercomputer resources for corporate use.

Fintech is another key development area in Tokyo. The “Tokyo Fintech Innovation Center” is located in the Marunouchi Financial District and provides one-stop services for fintech start-ups, including office space, legal consultation and investment matching. The center also cooperates with the Japan Financial Services Agency to provide regulatory sandbox testing opportunities for settled companies, which greatly accelerates the implementation of innovative financial products.

In terms of big data analysis and network security, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has launched the “Data Driven Tokyo” plan to encourage companies to use urban big data to develop innovative applications. The program provides data purchase subsidies of up to 100 million yen and provides data security companies with R&D tax credits of up to 50%.

Tokyo’s startup ecosystem is also extremely active. “Tokyo Startup Market” attracts more than 10,000 entrepreneurs and investors every year and has become one of Asia’s largest entrepreneurial exchange platforms. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has also established a 10 billion yen “Future Innovation Fund” to provide seed-round investments of up to 200 million yen for early-stage technology entrepreneurial projects.

Yokohama City (Kanagawa Prefecture): an emerging hub for biotechnology and robotics

The city of Yokohama has made significant progress in the fields of biotechnology and robotics thanks to its strategic location and well-established scientific research infrastructure. “Yokohama Life Science Industrial Park” covers an area of ​​50 hectares and has attracted more than 100 biotechnology companies to settle in. The park provides settled companies with a half-rent discount for up to five years and a R&D equipment subsidy of up to 200 million yen.

The “Yokohama Genomic Medicine Plan” jointly launched by the Yokohama City Government and the National Institute of Genetics of Japan invests 5 billion yen every year to support personalized medicine and gene therapy research. The plan also established a “genomic data sharing platform” to provide massive genomic data resources to research institutions and enterprises.

In terms of robotics technology, “Yokohama Robot Valley” has become an important robot R&D and production base in Japan. It brings together a complete industrial chain from upstream components to downstream system integration, with an annual output value of more than 500 billion yen. The “Robot Industry Promotion Ordinance” launched by the Yokohama City Government provides relevant companies with a fixed asset tax reduction of up to 70% for a period of up to 10 years.

Yokohama City also attaches great importance to international cooperation and has established the “Life Science Cities Alliance” with cities such as Boston in the United States and Munich in Germany to provide local companies with opportunities for international market expansion and technological exchanges. The “Yokohama International Biotechnology Forum” held every year attracts more than 5,000 experts and scholars from all over the world and has become one of the most influential biotechnology exchange platforms in the Asia-Pacific region.

Tsukuba Science City (Ibaraki Prefecture): Pioneer in basic scientific research and nanotechnology

As one of the most important scientific research bases in Japan, Tsukuba Science City is a global leader in basic scientific research and nanotechnology. More than 140 national-level research institutions, including the University of Tsukuba and the Institute of Industrial Technology, are concentrated here, forming a unique innovation ecosystem integrating industry, academia, and research.

The “Tsukuba Innovation Zone” is a core platform for promoting the industrialization of scientific research results. It provides attractive preferential policies for settled companies, including up to 80% corporate tax reduction (for a period of 5 years) and R&D subsidies of up to 500 million yen. , and land rent relief for up to 10 years. These policies have effectively reduced the operating costs of high-tech enterprises and stimulated a large number of innovative and entrepreneurial activities.

In the field of nanotechnology, the “Nano Materials Open Laboratory” jointly established by the University of Tsukuba and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) provides advanced R&D facilities and technical support to more than 500 companies every year. The Ibaraki Prefectural Government has also established a 5 billion yen “Nanotechnology Commercialization Fund” to provide early investment of up to 100 million yen for promising nanotechnology projects.

Tsukuba Science City also attaches special importance to the introduction of international talents. The “Tsukuba International Brain Circle Program” provides high-level overseas talents with research start-up funds of up to 10 million yen and living allowances, and has attracted more than 1,000 top international scientists to work here.

Saitama Prefecture: An important base for optical technology and precision instrument manufacturing

Saitama Prefecture has formed a distinctive high-tech industrial cluster with its traditional advantages in optical technology and precision instrument manufacturing. “Saitama Shintoshin” is the core of the region’s high-tech industry, where the R&D centers of many world-renowned optical companies, including Canon and Nikon, are concentrated.

The “Optical Industry Promotion Plan” launched by the Saitama Prefectural Government provides comprehensive support to relevant enterprises, including subsidies for up to 60% of R&D expenses, equipment investment subsidies of up to 100 million yen, and fixed asset tax exemptions for up to 7 years. . These policies have effectively stimulated the innovation enthusiasm of enterprises and promoted a number of major technological breakthroughs.

“Saitama Optical Technology Research Institute” is an important platform for industry-university-research cooperation and undertakes more than 200 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The institute has also established an “Optical Innovation Fund” to provide start-ups with interest-free loans of up to 50 million yen, greatly lowering the threshold for starting a business.

In terms of precision instrument manufacturing, Saitama Prefecture has cooperated with the Japan Machinery Industry Federation to launch the “Precision Manufacturing Technology Inheritance Plan”. Through mentoring and apprenticeship training and skills competitions, it has cultivated a large number of highly skilled talents and provided a solid foundation for industrial development. Talent base.

Saitama Prefecture also attaches special importance to improving the innovation capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises. The “Saitama Innovation Challenge Grant” provides small and medium-sized enterprises with a total of 1 billion yen in innovation project funding every year, and a single project can receive up to 50 million yen in support. This policy has effectively activated the innovative vitality of small and medium-sized enterprises and promoted the overall upgrading of the industrial chain.

The overall business environment of the Kanto region 

As the core of Japan’s economy, has complete infrastructure and rich human resources. The Tokyo metropolitan area, Yokohama City, Tsukuba Science City and Saitama Prefecture are closely connected through the high-speed rail network, forming a highly integrated innovation network. This area is home to more than 40% of Japan’s universities and research institutions, and produces more than 200,000 science and engineering graduates every year, providing sufficient talent supply for the development of high-tech industries.

Although the cost of living in the Kanto region is relatively high, its huge market potential and perfect business environment still attract a large number of domestic and foreign companies. The “Pro-Business Environment Creation Plan” launched by the Japanese government has further optimized the business environment, including measures such as simplifying company registration procedures and relaxing work visa restrictions for foreigners, which has greatly improved the operational efficiency of enterprises.

The Kanto region also actively promotes international cooperation. The “Greater Tokyo Regional Innovation Alliance” has established in-depth cooperative relationships with global innovation centers such as Silicon Valley and London, providing a bridge for local enterprises to develop internationally. The annual “Tokyo Innovation Week” attracts more than 100,000 innovators and investors from around the world and has become one of the most influential technology events in the Asia-Pacific region.

Central Region

As the center of Japan’s manufacturing industry, the central region has unique advantages in automotive technology, aerospace, optoelectronics and other fields. This region includes important areas such as the Nagoya metropolitan area, Hamamatsu City, and Nagano Prefecture, each with its own unique industries and innovation ecosystems. Let’s delve into the high-tech industrial layout and business environment in the central region.

Nagoya Metropolitan Area (Aichi Prefecture): Innovation Center for Automotive Technology and Aerospace

As the headquarters of Toyota Motor, the Nagoya metropolitan area is a global leader in automotive technology, especially in the field of autonomous driving. The “Aichi Autonomous Driving Innovation Zone” is Japan’s largest autonomous driving test base, covering an area of ​​200 hectares and simulating various complex road conditions. The innovation zone provides settled companies with free site use rights for up to three years and equipment subsidies of up to 500 million yen, which greatly reduces companies’ R&D costs.

The “Future Automobile Industry Promotion Plan” launched by the Aichi Prefectural Government in cooperation with Toyota, Honda and other automobile giants invests 10 billion yen every year to support the research and development of new energy vehicles and intelligent connected vehicles. The plan also established an “Automotive Technology Venture Fund” to provide seed-round investments of up to 200 million yen for automotive-related entrepreneurial projects.

In the aerospace field, Nagoya is an important aerospace industry base in Japan. The “Central Aerospace International Strategic Comprehensive Special Zone” covers a complete industrial chain from parts manufacturing to complete aircraft assembly, with an annual output value of more than 1 trillion yen. Enterprises in the special zone enjoy corporate tax exemptions of up to 50% (for a period of 5 years), fixed asset tax exemptions of up to 80% (for a period of 10 years), and equipment investment subsidies of up to 1 billion yen.

The “Aerospace Materials Research Center” jointly established by Nagoya Institute of Technology and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) undertakes more than 100 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The center has also established an “Aerospace Innovation Laboratory” to provide advanced R&D facilities and technical support to small and medium-sized enterprises, greatly improving the overall innovation capabilities of the industry chain.

Robotic manufacturing is another key development area in Nagoya. “Nagoya Robot Valley” brings together many of the world’s leading robotics companies, including Yaskawa Electric and Fanuc. The “Robotics Industry 4.0 Plan” launched by the Aichi Prefectural Government provides relevant companies with up to 70% of R&D cost subsidies and up to 100 million yen in smart transformation subsidies, effectively promoting the transformation of traditional manufacturing into smart manufacturing.

The Nagoya metropolitan area also attaches special importance to international cooperation. The “Nagoya International Automotive Technology Show” held every year attracts more than 5,000 companies from around the world to participate in the exhibition, and has become one of the most influential automotive technology exchange platforms in Asia.

Hamamatsu City (Shizuoka Prefecture): Innovation Base for Optoelectronics and Music Technology

As a center for optoelectronics and music-related technologies, Hamamatsu City has unique advantages in both fields. “Hamamatsu Photonics Innovation Center” is Japan’s largest optoelectronics R&D base, bringing together more than 200 related companies including Hamamatsu Optoelectronics. The center provides settled companies with R&D equipment subsidies of up to 70% and 50% rent discounts for up to 5 years.

The “Optoelectronics Industry Promotion Plan” launched by the Shizuoka Prefectural Government invests 5 billion yen every year to support full-chain innovation from basic research to industrialization. The plan also established an “Optoelectronics Innovation Fund” to provide start-ups with interest-free loans of up to 100 million yen, greatly lowering the threshold for starting a business.

Hamamatsu City also has a deep accumulation in music-related technology fields. As the birthplace of two major music equipment giants, Yamaha and Roland, Hamamatsu City has launched the “Music Technology Innovation Plan” to focus on supporting emerging fields such as digital music and virtual reality music experience. The program provides start-up capital of up to 50 million yen for music technology entrepreneurial projects, as well as free use of office space for up to three years.

“Hamamatsu Music Valley” is the core carrier of music technology innovation, with more than 50 music technology companies and research institutions gathered here. There is a “Music Technology Incubator” in the park to provide professional music copyright consulting, marketing and other services to start-ups. The “Hamamatsu International Music Technology Competition” held every year attracts more than 3,000 innovative projects from around the world and has become an important platform for discovering new music technology stars.

Hamamatsu City also actively promotes the integration and innovation of optoelectronic technology and music technology. The “Light and Sound Fusion Laboratory” was jointly established by the Hamamatsu City Government, Hamamatsu Medical University and Yamaha Corporation, and is dedicated to exploring the combined application of light stimulation and music therapy. The laboratory provides 10 postdoctoral positions every year and attracts a large number of high-level international talents.

Nagano Prefecture: Pioneer in precision electronics and semiconductor technology

Nagano Prefecture has formed a distinctive high-tech industrial cluster with its traditional advantages in precision electronic components and semiconductor technology. “Nagano Precision Electronics Valley” gathers many world-renowned companies including Seiko, Epson and Nidec, with an annual output value of more than 500 billion yen.

The “High-Quality Development Plan for the Precision Electronics Industry” launched by the Nagano Prefectural Government provides all-round support to relevant enterprises, including subsidies for up to 50% of R&D expenses, equipment investment subsidies of up to 200 million yen, and fixed services of up to 7 years. Property tax relief. These policies have effectively stimulated the innovation enthusiasm of enterprises and promoted a number of major technological breakthroughs.

In the field of semiconductor technology, the “Advanced Semiconductor Research Center” jointly established by Nagano Institute of Technology and the Japan Industrial Technology Research Institute undertakes more than 150 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The center has also established a “Semiconductor Innovation Fund” to provide early investment of up to 50 million yen for promising semiconductor projects.

Nagano Prefecture attaches special importance to improving the innovation capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises. The “Nagano Innovation Voucher Plan” provides small and medium-sized enterprises with innovation vouchers totaling 500 million yen every year. Enterprises can use these vouchers to purchase technical services from universities and research institutions. This policy has effectively promoted industry-university-research cooperation and promoted the technological upgrading of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Nagano Prefecture also actively promotes international cooperation. The “Japan-German Precision Manufacturing Joint Laboratory” established with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute carries out more than 20 joint research and development projects every year, providing local companies with opportunities to integrate with international cutting-edge technologies. The “Nagano International Precision Electronics Forum” held every year attracts more than 2,000 experts and scholars from all over the world and has become an important exchange platform for precision electronics technology in Asia.

As the core of Japan’s manufacturing industry, the central region has a complete industrial chain and rich technology accumulation. The Nagoya metropolitan area, Hamamatsu City, and Nagano Prefecture are closely connected through high-speed transportation networks, forming a highly integrated innovation network. This area is home to more than 30% of Japan’s manufacturing companies and trains more than 100,000 engineering and technical talents every year, providing a solid talent foundation for the development of high-tech industries.

The cost of living in the central region is relatively low, but the innovation environment is equally active. The “Local Creation Special Zone Plan” launched by the Japanese government provides the central region with greater policy autonomy, including measures such as relaxing work visa restrictions for foreign highly skilled talents and simplifying the approval process for new technologies, which has greatly enhanced the region’s innovative vitality. .

In addition, the central region is also actively promoting industrial transformation and upgrading. The “Central Future Industry Creation Plan” focuses on supporting the integration and innovation of emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and new materials with traditional manufacturing. The plan provides a total of 10 billion yen in transformation and upgrading subsidies every year to help traditional enterprises achieve digital and intelligent transformation.

The central region also attaches special importance to international development. The “Central International Innovation Corridor” project has established strategic partnerships with international projects such as German Industry 4.0 and the U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Program, providing a bridge for local enterprises to develop internationally. The “Central International Industrial Expo” held every year attracts more than 50,000 companies from around the world to participate in the exhibition, and has become an important window to showcase Japan’s advanced manufacturing technology. The central region maintains strong competitiveness in automotive technology, aerospace, optoelectronics and other fields with its deep manufacturing foundation, complete innovation ecosystem and proactive industrial policies.

Kansai Region

As the second largest economic circle in Japan, the Kansai region has profound historical and cultural heritage and strong innovation capabilities. This region includes important areas such as the Osaka Metropolitan Area, Kyoto City, Kobe City, and Nara Prefecture, each with its own unique industrial characteristics and innovation ecosystem. Let’s delve into the Kansai region’s high-tech industry layout and business environment.

Osaka Metropolitan Area: Innovation Center for Biomedicine, New Materials, and Smart Home Appliances

As the economic center of the Kansai region, the Osaka metropolitan area has outstanding performance in fields such as biomedicine, new material research and development, and smart home appliance technology. “Kita Osaka Health Medical City” (also known as “Kendo”) is one of Japan’s largest biomedical industry clusters, bringing together more than 300 pharmaceutical companies and research institutions, including Takeda Pharmaceutical and Otsuka Pharmaceutical. The “Life Science Innovation Plan” launched by the Osaka Prefectural Government provides settled companies with up to 70% of R&D cost subsidies and a 50% reduction in corporate tax for up to 10 years. These policies have effectively reduced the innovation costs of enterprises and promoted the birth of a number of major innovations.

In the field of new materials research and development, the “Advanced Materials Innovation Center” jointly established by the Osaka Institute of Industrial Technology and Osaka University undertakes more than 200 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The center has also established a “New Materials Entrepreneurship Accelerator” to provide material technology start-ups with seed investment of up to 100 million yen and free laboratory use rights for three years. This has greatly lowered the threshold for materials technology entrepreneurship and cultivated a number of potential start-ups.

Smart home appliance technology is another area of ​​strength for Osaka. The “Osaka Smart Home Innovation Zone” brings together many world-renowned home appliance companies including Panasonic and Sharp. The “Smart Home Appliances Industry Upgrading Plan” launched by the Osaka Prefectural Government provides enterprises with up to 50% of smart transformation subsidies and up to 200 million yen in new product development subsidies. These policies have effectively promoted the transformation of traditional home appliance companies into intelligent and Internet-based ones.

Osaka also attaches special importance to international cooperation. The “Osaka International Biomedical Forum” held every year attracts more than 5,000 experts and scholars from all over the world and has become an important biomedical exchange platform in Asia.

Kyoto City: A model of integration of culture, technology and precision instrument manufacturing

As a representative of Japanese traditional culture, Kyoto City is unique in the fields of cultural and technological integration and precision instrument manufacturing. The “Kyoto Culture, Science and Technology Innovation Zone” is Japan’s first industrial park dedicated to the integration of culture and science and technology, bringing together more than 200 related companies and research institutions. The “Cultural Science and Technology Integrated Development Plan” launched by the Kyoto City Government provides settled companies with up to 60% of research and development cost subsidies and a 50% rent discount for up to 5 years. These policies have effectively stimulated the innovative integration of traditional cultural industries and modern technology.

The “Digital Cultural Heritage Laboratory” jointly established by Kyoto University and Nintendo is committed to using virtual reality, augmented reality and other technologies to digitally protect and innovatively present traditional culture. The laboratory provides 20 postdoctoral positions every year and attracts a large number of high-level international talents.

In the field of precision instrument manufacturing, the “Kyoto Precision Instrument Innovation Center” gathers many world-renowned companies including Shimadzu and Horiba. The “High-Quality Development Plan for the Precision Instrument Industry” launched by the Kyoto Prefectural Government provides relevant companies with up to 80% of R&D equipment subsidies and fixed asset tax exemptions for up to 7 years. These policies have effectively improved the innovation capabilities of enterprises and promoted a number of major technological breakthroughs.

Kyoto City also pays special attention to the innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises. The “Kyoto Innovation Voucher Program” provides small and medium-sized enterprises with innovation vouchers totaling 300 million yen every year. Enterprises can use these vouchers to purchase technical services from universities and research institutions. This policy has effectively promoted industry-university-research cooperation and promoted the technological upgrading of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Kobe City (Hyogo Prefecture): Pioneer in regenerative medicine and supercomputer technology

The city of Kobe is a leader in Japan and the world in the fields of regenerative medicine and supercomputer technology. “Kobe Medical Industrial City” is Japan’s largest biomedical industry cluster, with remarkable achievements in the field of regenerative medicine. The “Regenerative Medicine Industry Promotion Plan” launched by the Hyogo Prefectural Government provides relevant companies with up to 80% of clinical trial cost subsidies and a 50% discount on corporate taxes for up to 15 years. These policies have greatly reduced the risks of regenerative medicine research and accelerated the industrialization of research results.

The “Regenerative Medicine Translation Center” jointly established by Kobe University and Japan’s RIKEN University undertakes more than 100 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The center has also established a “Regenerative Medicine Innovation Fund” to provide early investment of up to 300 million yen for promising regenerative medicine projects.

In the field of supercomputer technology, Kobe City is the home of the Japanese supercomputers “Kyo” and “Fugaku”. The “Kobe Supercomputing Center” not only provides computing services to scientific research institutions, but is also open to enterprises to promote the application of supercomputing technology in industry, medical and other fields. The “Supercomputing Application Promotion Plan” launched by the Hyogo Prefectural Government provides enterprises with up to 70% of supercomputing usage fee subsidies, effectively lowering the threshold for enterprises to use supercomputing.

Kobe City also actively promotes international cooperation. The “Japan-US Regenerative Medicine Joint Laboratory” established with the University of California, San Diego, carries out more than 30 joint research and development projects every year, providing local companies with opportunities to integrate with international cutting-edge technologies.

Nara Prefecture: Innovation Base for Image Processing Technology

Although Nara Prefecture is relatively small, it has its own unique advantages in the field of image processing technology. “Nara Imaging Technology Park” brings together more than 50 image processing-related companies and research institutions, forming a distinctive industrial cluster. The “Imaging Technology Innovation Plan” launched by the Nara Prefectural Government provides settled companies with up to 60% of research and development cost subsidies and a 50% rent discount for up to 5 years. These policies effectively stimulate the innovation enthusiasm of enterprises.

The “Advanced Image Processing Laboratory” jointly established by Nara Advanced Institute of Science and Technology University and Canon Corporation is dedicated to the research of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence image recognition and computational photography. The laboratory provides 15 full scholarships for doctoral students every year, attracting a large number of international talents.

Nara Prefecture also attaches special importance to the application of imaging technology in cultural heritage protection. The “Digital Bird Project” uses high-precision three-dimensional scanning and virtual reality technology to digitally protect and display many national treasure-level cultural relics in Nara. The plan provides relevant enterprises with up to 70% of technology development subsidies, promoting the innovative integration of culture and technology.

As the second largest economic circle in Japan, the Kansai region has complete infrastructure and rich human resources. Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Nara are closely connected by high-speed transportation networks, forming a highly integrated innovation network. This area is home to more than 20% of Japan’s universities and research institutions, and produces more than 150,000 science and engineering graduates every year, providing a solid talent base for the development of high-tech industries.

The cost of living in the Kansai region is lower than that of the Tokyo metropolitan area, but the innovation environment is equally active. The “Kansai Innovation Zone Plan” launched by the Japanese government provides the region with greater policy autonomy, including measures such as relaxing work visa restrictions for foreign highly skilled talents and simplifying the approval process for new technologies, which has greatly enhanced the innovation vitality of the region. . The Kansai region also actively promotes industrial transformation and upgrading. The “Kansai Future Industry Creation Plan” focuses on supporting the integration and innovation of emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and biotechnology with traditional industries. The plan provides a total of 20 billion yen in transformation and upgrading subsidies each year to help traditional enterprises achieve digital and intelligent transformation.

The Kansai region also attaches special importance to international development. The “Kansai International Innovation Corridor” project has established strategic cooperative relationships with multiple innovation centers in Europe and the United States, providing a bridge for local enterprises to develop internationally. The “Kansai International Innovation Week” held every year attracts the participation of more than 30,000 companies from around the world and has become an important window to showcase Japan’s advanced technology. Relying on its profound cultural heritage, diversified industrial structure and active innovation policies, the Kansai region maintains strong competitiveness in fields such as biomedicine, new materials, precision instruments, and regenerative medicine.

China region (Chūgoku region)

The Chūgoku region is located in the western part of Honshu, Japan. Although it is not as large as the Kanto or Kansai regions, it has unique advantages and development potential in certain high-tech fields. This region mainly includes two important innovation centers, Hiroshima City and Okayama Prefecture, each showing strong competitiveness in different high-tech fields.

Hiroshima City: Innovation Base for Automotive Electronics Technology and Environmental Purification Technology

As the largest city in China, Hiroshima has outstanding performance in the fields of automotive electronics technology and environmental purification technology. “Hiroshima Automotive Innovation Valley” is an important automotive electronics technology research and development base in Japan, bringing together more than 200 automotive-related companies and research institutions, including Mazda and Mitsubishi Electric. The “Future Automobile Industry Promotion Plan” launched by the Hiroshima City Government provides settled companies with subsidies of up to 65% of R&D expenses and fixed asset tax exemptions for up to 8 years. These policies have effectively reduced the innovation costs of enterprises and promoted a number of major technological breakthroughs, especially in the fields of electric vehicles and autonomous driving.

The “Intelligent Connected Vehicle Joint Laboratory” jointly established by Hiroshima University and Mazda Corporation undertakes more than 50 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The laboratory has also established an “Automotive Electronics Innovation Fund” to provide early investment of up to 100 million yen for promising automotive electronics innovation projects. This not only promotes the technological innovation of large enterprises, but also cultivates a number of potential automotive technology start-ups.

In the field of environmental purification technology, the “Hiroshima Environmental Science and Technology Park” has gathered more than 70 environmental protection companies and research institutions, forming a distinctive industrial cluster. The “Green Technology Innovation Plan” launched by the Hiroshima Prefectural Government provides relevant companies with up to 70% of demonstration project subsidies and a 50% discount on R&D equipment rentals for up to 5 years. These policies have effectively stimulated technological innovation by enterprises in fields such as water treatment, air purification, and soil remediation.

The “Environmental Restoration Technology Center” jointly established by Hiroshima Institute of Technology and Hitachi Zosen Co., Ltd. is committed to developing advanced environmental purification technologies. The center provides 10 fully-scholarship doctoral student places every year, attracting outstanding talents from around the world. The center also cooperates with local governments to apply research and development results to actual environmental management projects, forming a good model of integrating industry, academia, research and application.

Hiroshima City also attaches special importance to international cooperation. The “Hiroshima International Automotive Technology Forum” held every year attracts more than 3,000 experts and scholars from all over the world and has become an important automotive technology exchange platform in Asia. At the same time, the “Hiroshima-Detroit Innovation Alliance” project provides a bridge for local companies to cooperate with the U.S. automotive industry, promoting technological exchanges and market development.

Okayama Prefecture: New display technology and medical equipment research and development

Although Okayama Prefecture is relatively small, it occupies an important position in the research and development of new display technologies and medical equipment. The “Okayama Display Technology Innovation Center” brings together more than 50 display technology-related companies and research institutions, including Sharp and JDI. The “New Generation Display Industry Development Plan” launched by the Okayama Prefectural Government provides settled companies with up to 75% of R&D equipment subsidies and a 50% discount on corporate taxes for up to 10 years. These policies have greatly reduced the innovation costs of enterprises and promoted the rapid development of new display technologies such as OLED and quantum dots.

The “Advanced Display Materials Laboratory” jointly established by Okayama University and Kyocera Corporation undertakes more than 30 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The laboratory has also established a “Display Technology Startup Accelerator” to provide display technology start-ups with seed round investments of up to 50 million yen and free laboratory use rights for 2 years. This has greatly lowered the threshold for display technology entrepreneurship and cultivated a number of potential start-ups.

In the field of medical equipment research and development, “Okayama Medical Valley” is an important medical equipment industry cluster in Japan, gathering more than 100 medical equipment companies and research institutions. The “High-Quality Development Plan for the Medical Equipment Industry” launched by the Okayama Prefectural Government provides relevant companies with up to 80% of clinical trial cost subsidies and fixed asset tax exemptions for up to 7 years. These policies have effectively reduced the risks of medical device research and development and accelerated the industrialization of research results.

The “Minimally Invasive Medical Device Innovation Center” jointly established by Okayama University of Science and Olympus Corporation is committed to developing a new generation of minimally invasive surgical robots and intelligent diagnostic equipment. The center provides 15 places for industry-university joint doctoral programs every year to cultivate high-end talents for the medical equipment industry. The center has also established close cooperative relationships with many local hospitals to ensure that research and development results can quickly enter the clinical application stage.

Okayama Prefecture also pays special attention to the innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises. The “Okayama Innovation Voucher Plan” provides small and medium-sized enterprises with innovation vouchers totaling 200 million yen every year. Enterprises can use these vouchers to purchase technical services from universities and research institutions. This policy has effectively promoted industry-university-research cooperation and promoted the technological upgrading of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Although the Chinese region is not as large as the Kanto or Kansai regions in terms of economic scale, its lower cost of living and good natural environment provide unique advantages for the development of high-tech industries. The average office rent and housing costs in the area are 30%-40% lower than in Tokyo, which provides companies and talents with greater room for development.

China is also actively promoting industrial transformation and upgrading. The “China Regional Innovation 2030 Plan” focuses on supporting the integrated innovation of emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and biotechnology with traditional industries. The plan provides a total of 10 billion yen in transformation and upgrading subsidies every year to help traditional enterprises achieve digital and intelligent transformation.

In addition, China also attaches special importance to attracting and cultivating high-end talents. The “China Regional Talent Zone Plan” provides highly skilled foreign talents with simplified work visa procedures and a 50% reduction in personal income tax for up to 5 years. At the same time, the plan also provides local enterprises with up to 50% subsidies for high-end talent training, effectively improving the region’s talent competitiveness. The Chinese region is also actively promoting international cooperation. The “China-Europe Innovation Corridor” project has established strategic partnerships with multiple innovation centers in Germany and France, providing local companies with opportunities for international development. The “China Regional International Science and Technology Week” held every year attracts the participation of more than 10,000 companies from around the world and has become an important platform to showcase Japan’s local innovation power.

Shikoku Region

The Shikoku region is located on Shikoku Island, one of Japan’s four major islands. Although it is relatively remote geographically, it has shown unique innovation vitality in certain high-tech fields. This region mainly includes two important innovation centers, Takamatsu City (Kagawa Prefecture) and Matsuyama City (Ehime Prefecture), each of which has achieved remarkable results in the fields of telemedicine technology and shipbuilding technology innovation.

Takamatsu City (Kagawa Prefecture): Telemedicine Technology

As the seat of Kagawa Prefecture, Takamatsu City has made remarkable progress in the field of telemedicine technology in recent years. “Takamatsu Telemedicine Innovation Park” brings together more than 30 IT companies and medical institutions, including Fujitsu and NEC, forming a unique industrial ecosystem. The “Telemedicine 2030 Plan” launched by the Kagawa Prefectural Government provides settled companies with up to 80% R&D equipment subsidies and a 50% discount on corporate taxes for up to 6 years. These policies have greatly reduced the innovation costs of enterprises and promoted the rapid development of cutting-edge technologies such as 5G medical treatment and AI diagnosis.

The “Smart Medical Joint Laboratory” jointly established by the Kagawa University School of Medicine and Hitachi Manufacturing undertakes more than 40 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The laboratory has also established a “Telemedicine Innovation Fund” to provide early investment of up to 80 million yen for promising medical technology start-ups. This not only promotes technological innovation of large enterprises, but also cultivates a number of potential medical technology startups.

Takamatsu City Government also pays special attention to the practical application of telemedicine technology. The “Seto Inland Sea Island Medical Plan” utilizes the telemedicine system developed by Takamatsu to provide medical services to surrounding islands. This project not only improves the medical conditions of island residents, but also provides valuable practice opportunities for telemedicine technology. Currently, the system covers 24 islands in the Seto Inland Sea, serving a population of more than 100,000.

Takamatsu City also actively promotes international cooperation. The “Asia Telemedicine Forum” held every year attracts more than 2,000 experts and scholars from Asian countries and has become an important international exchange platform in this field. At the same time, the “Takamatsu-Boston Medical Technology Cooperation Plan” provides local companies with opportunities to cooperate with top medical institutions in the United States, promoting technological exchanges and market development.

In order to attract and retain talents, Takamatsu City has launched a “Medical Science and Technology Talent Special Zone” policy. The policy provides high-skilled medical IT talents with a housing subsidy of up to 2 million yen and a 50% reduction in personal income tax for up to 3 years. These measures have effectively enhanced Takamatsu City’s attractiveness in the talent competition.

Matsuyama City (Ehime Prefecture): The cradle of innovation in shipbuilding technology

As the seat of Ehime Prefecture, Matsuyama City occupies an important position in the field of shipbuilding technology innovation. “Matsuyama Marine Technology Innovation Center” brings together more than 50 shipbuilding and related companies and research institutions, including Imabari Shipbuilding and Mitsui Shipbuilding. The “Smart Shipbuilding Industry Promotion Plan” launched by the Ehime Prefectural Government provides settled companies with up to 70% of technological transformation subsidies and fixed asset tax exemptions for up to 8 years. These policies have effectively reduced the innovation costs of enterprises and promoted the rapid development of new technologies such as intelligent shipbuilding and green ships.

The “Future Ship Technology Laboratory” jointly established by Ehime University and Nippon Yusen Kaisha Co., Ltd. undertakes more than 35 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The laboratory has also established a “Marine Technology Startup Accelerator” to provide seed round investments of up to 100 million yen and free office space for three years to shipbuilding technology start-ups. This has greatly lowered the threshold for shipbuilding technology entrepreneurship and cultivated a number of potential start-ups.

Songshan City attaches special importance to the development of green ship technology. The “Songshan Green Ship Demonstration Project” provides demonstration operation subsidies of up to 90% to companies developing new energy ships. Currently, five hydrogen fuel cell ships have been conducting commercial demonstration operations in the Seto Inland Sea, accumulating valuable experience for future large-scale applications.

In order to promote the digital transformation of the shipbuilding industry, Songshan City launched the “Smart Shipbuilding 4.0 Plan”. The program provides shipbuilding companies with digital transformation subsidies of up to 60%, as well as free digital training courses. Through this plan, many local shipyards have digitized the entire design, production, and management process, greatly improving production efficiency and product quality.

Songshan City also actively expands international cooperation. The “Songshan-Hamburg Shipbuilding Alliance” project has established a strategic cooperative relationship with the Port of Hamburg, Germany, providing local companies with opportunities to enter the European market. The “International Intelligent Ship Technology Exhibition” held every year attracts more than 500 companies from around the world to participate in the exhibition, and has become an important platform to showcase the latest shipbuilding technology.

Although the overall business environment of the Shikoku region is inferior to that of the Honshu region in terms of economic scale and population size, its unique geographical location and rich natural resources provide advantageous conditions for the development of certain specific industries. The average office rental and housing costs in the area are 40%-50% lower than in Tokyo, which provides companies and talents with greater development space and a higher quality of life.

The Shikoku region also actively promotes the integration of traditional industries and emerging technologies. The “Four Countries Industrial Upgrading 2035 Plan” focuses on supporting the application of technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and new materials in traditional manufacturing industries. The plan provides a total of 8 billion yen in transformation and upgrading subsidies each year to help traditional enterprises achieve digital and intelligent transformation.

In order to solve the problem of brain drain, the Shikoku region launched the “Shikoku Brain Return Plan”. The plan provides a one-time settlement subsidy of up to 3 million yen for highly skilled talents returning from metropolitan areas, as well as a 50% reduction in personal income tax for up to 5 years. At the same time, it also provides salary subsidies of up to 50% for two years to companies that hire local university graduates. These measures have effectively alleviated the talent shortage problem in the region.

The Shikoku region also places special emphasis on improving infrastructure to enhance regional competitiveness. The “Shikoku High-speed Communication Network Plan” invests 10 billion yen to build a 5G network covering the entire island. Currently, 5G coverage in the Shikoku region has reached 95%, providing solid infrastructure support for high-tech industries such as telemedicine and smart manufacturing.

In addition, the Shikoku region is also actively exploring new development models. The “Shikoku Innovation Island Plan” positions the entire Shikoku Island as a large-scale innovation experimental field, encouraging companies to conduct field tests of various innovative technologies here. The program simplifies the approval process for technical testing and provides testing subsidies of up to 100 million yen. This policy has attracted many companies to the four countries for field testing of cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous driving and drone delivery. Although the Shikoku region is facing the challenges of population decline and economic structural transformation, it is creating a unique high-tech industrial ecosystem by focusing on distinctive areas such as telemedicine and shipbuilding technology, and implementing a series of innovative policies. For businesses and investors seeking to develop specific high-tech sectors in a lower-cost environment, the Shikoku region offers an option.

Kyushu Region

As the southernmost major island in Japan, the Kyushu region has shown strong innovation power in multiple high-tech fields in recent years. The region includes multiple innovation centers including the Fukuoka metropolitan area, Kitakyushu City, Kumamoto Prefecture, and Nagasaki Prefecture, each of which has made achievements in fields such as Internet of Things technology, game development, hydrogen energy technology, environmental protection technology, smart manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing, and ocean energy technology. achieved remarkable results.

Fukuoka Metropolitan Area: Innovation Hub for IoT, Game Development, and Hydrogen Energy

As the largest economic center in the Kyushu region, the Fukuoka metropolitan area performs particularly well in the fields of Internet of Things technology, game development and hydrogen energy technology. The “Fukuoka Smart City Experimental Zone” brings together more than 100 companies and research institutions, including Fujitsu, Sony and Honda, forming a unique innovation ecosystem. The “Fukuoka Next Generation Industry Cultivation Plan” launched by the Fukuoka City Government provides settled companies with up to 90% R&D equipment subsidies and a 50% discount on corporate taxes for up to 10 years. These policies have greatly reduced the innovation costs of enterprises and promoted the rapid development of cutting-edge technologies such as 5G Internet of Things, AI game engines, and hydrogen fuel cells.

The “Future City Internet of Things Laboratory” jointly established by Kyushu University and Panasonic Electronics undertakes more than 60 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The laboratory has also established the “Fukuoka Innovation Accelerator” to provide seed round investments of up to 150 million yen for Internet of Things and game development start-ups. This not only promotes technological innovation of large enterprises, but also cultivates a number of potential technology startups.

In the field of game development, Fukuoka City has launched the “Game Industry Promotion Special Zone” policy. The policy provides game development companies with office rental subsidies of up to 50% for a period of 5 years, as well as a 50% tax reduction on game copyright income for up to 3 years. These measures have attracted more than 200 game companies, including well-known game companies such as Level-5 and CyberConnect2, to settle in Fukuoka, forming a sizable game industry cluster.

In terms of hydrogen energy technology, Fukuoka City has launched the “Hydrogen Energy City Plan”. The plan provides hydrogen energy-related companies with demonstration project subsidies of up to 80% and fixed asset tax exemptions for up to 8 years. At present, Fukuoka has built Japan’s largest hydrogen energy demonstration community, including 100 hydrogen fuel cell residences and 10 hydrogen refueling stations, accumulating valuable experience for the commercial application of hydrogen energy technology.

Kitakyushu City: Environmental Technology and Smart Manufacturing

As a traditional industrial city, Kitakyushu City has achieved successful transformation in the fields of environmental protection technology and intelligent manufacturing. “Kitakyushu Eco-Tech City” gathers more than 150 environmental protection and intelligent manufacturing companies, including Toshiba and Hitachi. The “Green Intelligent Manufacturing 2030 Plan” launched by the Kitakyushu City Government provides settled enterprises with up to 70% of technological transformation subsidies and a 50% reduction in corporate income tax for up to 7 years. These policies have effectively reduced the transformation costs of enterprises and promoted the rapid development of new technologies such as clean energy, resource recycling and smart factories.

The “Intelligent Manufacturing Innovation Center” jointly established by Kyushu Institute of Technology and Yaskawa Electric undertakes more than 50 industry-university cooperation projects every year. The center has also established the “Kitakyushu Industry 4.0 Fund” to provide smart manufacturing start-ups with Series A investments of up to 100 million yen and free factory space for 2 years. This has greatly lowered the threshold for manufacturing innovation and cultivated a number of potential industrial technology companies.

Kitakyushu City attaches special importance to the practical application of environmentally friendly technologies. The Kitakyushu Circular Economy Demonstration Zone provides demonstration project subsidies of up to 85% to companies that develop resource recycling technologies. Currently, 20 innovative resource recycling projects are operating in the demonstration area, processing more than 500,000 tons of various wastes annually, and achieving a resource utilization rate of more than 90%.

In order to promote the intelligent transformation of the manufacturing industry, Kitakyushu City has launched the “Smart Factory Transformation Plan”. The plan provides manufacturing companies with up to 65% smart transformation subsidies and free industrial Internet training courses. Through this plan, more than 200 manufacturing companies in Kitakyushu City have completed intelligent transformation, and the average production efficiency has increased by more than 30%.

Kumamoto Prefecture: semiconductor manufacturing

Kumamoto Prefecture has shown strong development momentum in the semiconductor manufacturing field. “Kumamoto Semiconductor Technology Park” brings together more than 50 semiconductor-related companies, including Sony and Tokyo Electronics. The “Semiconductor Industry Promotion Plan” launched by the Kumamoto Prefectural Government provides settled enterprises with equipment investment subsidies of up to 60% and electricity subsidy for up to 5 years (up to 30% of the electricity cost). These policies have greatly reduced the production costs of enterprises and improved Kumamoto’s competitiveness in the global semiconductor industry chain.

The “Kyushu Advanced Semiconductor Research Alliance” jointly established by Kumamoto University and Kagoshima University undertakes more than 30 cutting-edge semiconductor technology research and development projects every year. The alliance has also established a “Semiconductor Talent Training Program” to train more than 500 highly skilled technical personnel for local semiconductor companies every year, effectively alleviating the industry’s talent shortage problem.

In order to attract more semiconductor companies to settle here, Kumamoto Prefecture launched the “Semiconductor Industry Cluster Plan”. The plan provides newly settled semiconductor companies with a one-time subsidy of up to 2 billion yen and a halving of corporate tax for up to 10 years. This policy has successfully attracted many international semiconductor companies to set up production bases in Kumamoto, further improving the local semiconductor industry chain.

Nagasaki Prefecture: Innovation Base for Marine Energy Technology

Nagasaki Prefecture has made significant progress in the field of marine energy technology due to its unique geographical location. The “Nagasaki Marine Energy Research Center” brings together more than 30 marine energy-related companies and research institutions, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The “Blue Energy Innovation Plan” launched by the Nagasaki Prefectural Government provides demonstration project subsidies of up to 75% for marine energy projects, as well as fixed asset tax exemptions for up to 6 years. These policies have greatly reduced the development and application costs of ocean energy technology and promoted the rapid development of new energy technologies such as tidal energy and wave energy.

The “Deep Sea Energy Technology Laboratory” jointly established by Nagasaki University and the Japan Marine Research and Development Agency (JAMSTEC) undertakes more than 20 cutting-edge ocean energy technology research and development projects every year. The laboratory has also established an “Ocean Innovation Fund” to provide marine energy start-ups with seed round investments of up to 50 million yen and free use of offshore testing sites for three years. This not only promotes technological innovation of large enterprises, but also cultivates a number of potential marine energy startups.

Nagasaki Prefecture pays special attention to the practical application of marine energy technology. The “Five Islands Marine Energy Demonstration Zone” provides an ideal testing and application environment for marine energy technology. Currently, three large tidal energy power stations and two wave energy power stations are operating in the demonstration area, with a total installed capacity of 15MW, providing clean electricity to 5,000 local residents.

As the economic center of southwestern Japan, the Kyushu region has the advantage of geographically communicating with other Asian countries. The average office rental and labor costs in the area are 30%-40% lower than in Tokyo, which provides enterprises with greater cost advantages and room for development. In order to further enhance regional innovation capabilities, the Kyushu region launched the “Kyushu Innovation Corridor Plan”. The plan aims to connect innovation centers such as Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Kumamoto and Nagasaki through high-speed transportation and information networks to form a large platform for collaborative innovation. It is planned to invest 50 billion yen to build cross-city 5G networks, high-speed railways and innovation cooperation centers, which will greatly improve the flow of resources and collaboration efficiency within the region.

The Kyushu region also attaches special importance to international cooperation. The “Asia Innovation Gateway Program” provides Asian companies that set up R&D centers in Kyushu with a one-time subsidy of up to 100 million yen and a 50% reduction in corporate income tax for up to 5 years. This policy has attracted more than 100 high-tech companies from South Korea, China, Singapore and other countries to set up R&D bases in Kyushu, greatly enhancing the region’s international innovation vitality. In order to solve the talent problem, Kyushu region launched the “Kyushu Talent Return Plan”. The plan provides a one-time settlement subsidy of up to 5 million yen for highly skilled talents returning from major cities such as Tokyo, as well as a 50% reduction in personal income tax for up to three years. At the same time, it also provides salary subsidies of up to 70% for one year to small and medium-sized enterprises that hire fresh graduates. These measures have effectively alleviated the brain drain problem in the region and provided sufficient talent supply for various high-tech industries.

The Kyushu region also actively promotes the integration of traditional industries and emerging technologies. The “Jiuzhou Industrial Digital Transformation Plan” focuses on supporting the application of artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain and other technologies in agriculture, fishery and traditional manufacturing. The plan provides a total of 10 billion yen in transformation and upgrading subsidies every year to help traditional enterprises achieve digital and intelligent transformation. By focusing on featured areas such as the Internet of Things, game development, hydrogen energy, environmental protection technology, smart manufacturing, semiconductors and ocean energy, and implementing a series of innovative policies, a diversified and highly innovative industrial ecosystem is being created.

Okinawa area

As the southernmost island group in Japan, the Okinawa region shows great development potential in the fields of marine biotechnology and tropical agricultural technology with its unique geographical location and rich natural resources. Centered around Naha City, the region is actively creating an innovative ecosystem that combines the advantages of marine biodiversity and tropical climate.

marine biotechnology

Naha City is making significant progress in the field of marine biotechnology thanks to its rich marine resources. “Okinawa Marine Biotechnology Park” brings together more than 30 research institutions and companies, including Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and Japan Marine Exploration Agency (JAMSTEC). The “Blue Innovation Plan” launched by the Okinawa Prefectural Government provides up to 80% of research and development funding subsidies for marine biotechnology projects, as well as a 50% discount on corporate taxes for up to 7 years. These policies have greatly reduced the R&D costs of enterprises and promoted the rapid development of cutting-edge technologies such as marine drugs, marine biological materials, and marine energy.

The “Marine Biomedicine Research Center” established by OIST in cooperation with Japanese pharmaceutical giant Takeda Pharmaceuticals undertakes more than 40 marine drug development projects every year. The center has also established the “Okinawa Marine Life Entrepreneurship Accelerator” to provide marine biotechnology start-ups with seed investment of up to 200 million yen and free laboratory use rights for three years. This not only promotes technological innovation of large enterprises, but also cultivates a number of potential marine biotechnology startups.

In order to make full use of Okinawa’s rich marine biological resources, Naha City has launched the “Marine Biological Resource Bank Project”. The plan invested 5 billion yen to establish Asia’s largest marine biological sample bank, collecting and preserving more than 100,000 biological samples from Okinawa waters. This biological resource library not only provides valuable research materials to research institutions, but also provides biotechnology companies with a rich source of product development.

The Okinawa Prefectural Government has also launched the “Marine Biological Industry Cluster Plan” to provide newly settled marine biotechnology companies with one-time subsidies of up to 3 billion yen and fixed asset tax exemptions for up to 10 years. This policy has successfully attracted many international biotechnology companies to set up R&D centers in Okinawa, further improving the local marine biotechnology industry chain.

Tropical Agricultural Technology

Naha City has made full use of its unique tropical climate advantages and has achieved remarkable results in the field of tropical agricultural science and technology. The “Okinawa Tropical Agriculture Innovation Center” brings together more than 20 research institutions and enterprises, including the Agricultural Research Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan and Sumitomo Chemical. The “Tropical Agriculture Promotion Plan” launched by the Okinawa Prefectural Government provides technology development subsidies of up to 75% for tropical agricultural science and technology projects, as well as agricultural land rental exemptions for up to 5 years. These policies have greatly reduced the innovation costs of enterprises and promoted the rapid development of new technologies such as tropical crop breeding, smart greenhouses and biopesticides.

The “Tropical Crop Genome Research Institute” jointly established by the University of the Ryukyus and Japan’s largest seed company Sakata Seed undertakes more than 30 tropical crop breeding projects every year. The institute has also established a “Tropical Agriculture Innovation Fund” to provide agricultural technology start-ups with Series A investments of up to 150 million yen and free use of experimental fields for 2 years. This not only promotes the technological innovation of large enterprises, but also cultivates a number of potential agricultural technology startups.

Naha City attaches special importance to the practical application of tropical agricultural science and technology. The “Okinawa Smart Agriculture Demonstration Zone” provides demonstration project subsidies of up to 85% to companies developing smart agricultural technologies. Currently, 15 innovative smart agriculture projects are operating in the demonstration area, including fully automatic tropical fruit and vegetable planting systems, AI pest and disease monitoring systems, etc., which have greatly improved the production efficiency and product quality of tropical agriculture.

In order to promote the high-value utilization of tropical agricultural products, Okinawa Prefecture has launched the “Tropical Super Food Development Plan.” The plan provides R&D subsidies of up to 70% to companies developing functional foods from tropical agricultural products, as well as a 50% discount on product sales tax for up to 3 years. Through this plan, Okinawa has successfully developed a variety of tropical superfoods with high added value, such as Okinawa bitter melon anti-diabetic drink, Noni anti-aging essence, etc., creating considerable economic benefits for local agriculture.

International Cooperation and Talent Cultivation

The Okinawa region makes full use of its unique geographical location to actively promote agricultural science and technology cooperation with Southeast Asian countries. The “Asian Tropical Agricultural Cooperation Program” provides a one-time subsidy of up to 150 million yen to Southeast Asian agricultural enterprises that set up R&D centers in Okinawa, as well as a salary subsidy for R&D personnel (up to 50% of salary) for up to 5 years. This policy has attracted more than 50 agricultural technology companies from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries to set up R&D bases in Okinawa, greatly enhancing the region’s international innovation vitality.

In order to solve the problem of talent shortage, Okinawa Prefecture launched the “Tropical Biotechnology Talent Training Program”. This program provides full scholarships to students majoring in marine biology and tropical agriculture at local universities, with the condition that they work in related enterprises in Okinawa for at least 3 years after graduation. At the same time, it also provides salary subsidies of up to 60% for 2 years to small and medium-sized enterprises that employ these graduates. These measures have effectively alleviated the brain drain problem in the region and provided a continuous supply of talents for the marine biotechnology and tropical agricultural science and technology industries.

Improvement of the innovation ecosystem

In order to further improve the innovation ecosystem, Naha City launched the “Tropical Innovation Corridor Plan”. The plan is to invest 10 billion yen to build an innovation corridor between downtown Naha and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, including multiple innovation centers, incubators and accelerators. This plan aims to promote the deep integration of industry, academia and research and accelerate the commercialization of scientific research results.

Okinawa Prefecture also attaches special importance to intellectual property protection and technology transformation. “Okinawa Intellectual Property Strategy” provides companies with free patent application consulting services and subsidies of up to 90% of international patent application fees. At the same time, the “Okinawa Technology Transfer Office” was established to assist research institutions in transforming scientific research results into commercial applications and provide technology transformation financial support of up to 100 million yen.

For businesses and investors seeking to conduct research and development in marine biotechnology or tropical agricultural science and technology in the Asia-Pacific region, the Okinawa region offers a unique and attractive option.

Summarize

Each region in Japan has made full use of its unique geographical location, climatic conditions and industrial foundation to form unique high-tech development strategies. From Hokkaido’s environmental and agricultural technology, to Tohoku’s post-disaster reconstruction and renewable energy, to Kanto’s status as a comprehensive high-tech hub, each region has its own distinct development priorities. The central region relies on its strong manufacturing base to promote advanced industrial technology, while Kansai excels in the fields of life sciences and cultural science and technology. China focuses on the parallel development of automobiles and environmental technologies, the four countries focus on specialty medical and marine technologies, and Kyushu is emerging as an emerging technology innovation center. The southernmost Okinawa has cleverly used its geographical advantages to seek breakthroughs in marine and tropical related scientific and technological fields.

This diversified regional science and technology development pattern not only gives full play to the comparative advantages of each region, but also provides a solid foundation for Japan’s overall scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading. Through inter-regional cooperation and complementarity, Japan is building a comprehensive, balanced and dynamic national innovation system. This strategy not only helps improve the country’s overall scientific and technological competitiveness, but also provides new ideas for solving problems such as uneven regional development.

At the same time, the development strategies of each region also reflect Japan’s active response to global challenges. Whether it is environmental protection, disaster response, population aging, or industrial transformation and upgrading, Japan is seeking solutions through technological innovation. This development model that combines regional characteristics with a global perspective provides a useful reference for the science and technology development planning of other countries and regions.

In general, Japan’s regional science and technology development strategy shows a diverse, professional and interconnected innovation ecological picture. This is not only the key for Japan to maintain its status as a science and technology power, but also for it to cope with future challenges and achieve sustainable development. important guarantee.