JETRO Invest Japan Report 2019 (Summary)4. JETRO’s Efforts to Promote Investment in Japan

Achievements of JETRO: the total number of success stories exceeded 2,000

  • Successful investment supported by JETRO： 2,013 Investment project supported：19,447
  • By region, companies from Asia remained the largest (36%) while those from Europe (30%) and North America (29%) also account for about 30%.
  • By industry, Services (retail, etc.) and ICT & telecommunications account for over 20%, respectively, and about the half of the total when combined.
  • By destination, Tokyo (61%）is the largest, although a certain number of companies choose Kanagawa (11%) and Osaka (8%).

JETRO-attracted investments by region

This pie chart shows the proportion of investment projects successfully attracted by JETRO from 2003 to 2018 by region. The proportion of “Asia” is 36%, “Europe” is 30%, “North America” is 29%, “Oceania” is 3%, “Middle East and Africa” is 1%, and “Middle and South America” is 1%

JETRO-attracted investments by country/region

This pie chart shows the proportion of investment projects successfully attracted by JETRO from 2003 to 2018 by country/region. The proportion of “the United States” is 25%, “China” is 14%, “Germany” is 8%, “South Korea” is 7%, “the United Kingdom” is 6%, “France” is 5%, “Singapore” is 4%, “Taiwan” is 4%, “Australia” is 3%, “Hong Kong” is 3%, the rest of the world is 21%

JETRO-attracted investments by industry

This pie chart shows the proportion of investment projects successfully attracted by JETRO from 2003 to 2018 by industry. The proportion of “Services (food and beverages, retail, consulting, etc.)” is 23%, “ICT & telecommunications” is 23%, “Electrical and electronic equipment, its parts” is 9%, “Industry machinery, its parts” is 7%, “Pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, related services” is 6%, “Transportation equipment, its parts” is 6%, and “Others” is 26%.

JETRO-attracted investments by target prefecture

This pie chart shows the proportion of investment projects successfully attracted by JETRO from 2003 to 2018 by prefectures the companies created their business base in. The proportion of “Tokyo” is 61% and “Other than Tokyo” is 39%. Outside of Tokyo, “Kanagawa” is 11%, “Osaka” is 8%, “Aichi” is 5%, “Hyogo” is 4%, “Chiba” is 2%, “Fukuoka” is 2%, and “Others” is 7%.

Toward innovation creation by foreign companies

  • Among various topics on which JETRO has hosted seminars on investment in Japan overseas, more and more seminars have focused on innovation since FY2018. Since FY2019, JETRO has been pouring efforts into supporting foreign companies which could contribute to create innovation, industries of whose companies shown below.

Overseas seminars on investment in japan since 2018

This chart shows Invest Japan seminars abroad JETRO held since 2018. The number of seminars held in Asia was 29, that in Europe was 28, that in North America was 16, and that in the other regions was 15. Overview of some of the major seminars are as follows. Canada (Toronto): Date: May, 2018, Field: digital technologies, such as AI・Deep Learning, self-driving, etc., Participants: about 120 persons. United Kingdom (London): Date: October, 2018, Field: Fintech, Cybersecurity, Health technology, AI, Logistic technology, etc., Participants: about 40 persons. Finland (Helsinki): Date: December, 2018, Field: Mobility, Energy, Communications, AI, Virtual reality, Augmented reality, Healthcare, Fintech, etc., Participants: about 100 persons. China (Shanghai): Date: December, 2018, Field: Digital technologies, such as IoT, AI, etc., Participants: about 90 persons. India (Bengaluru): Date: March 2019, Field: a variety of industries that use IT/IoT, Participants: about 140 persons. Germany (Fuerth): Date: July 2019, Field: business collaboration in manufacturing, etc., Participants: about 330 persons. China (Beijing): Date: August 2019, Field: Digital technologies, such as IoT, AI, etc., Participants: about 150 persons.

Target industries which are expected to create innovation

This chart shows industries of companies JETRO focuses to support to create more innovation. Sectors in which Japanese companies have needs include 1) Tech industry (AI, Fintech, etc.), 2) Manufacturing industry (IoT, Industry 4.0, drone, Space, etc.), 3) Life Science industry, and 4) Renewable energy, Infrastructure, etc. Also, sectors included in Japan’s Growth Strategy are included as target industries.

Strengthening support to regional foreign direct investment in Japan

  • JETRO provides local governments with supports of promotion within/outside Japan, of inviting foreign companies to their region, and of capacity building to strengthen investment promotion capability through “Support Program for Region Foreign Direct Investment in Japan.”
  • Since October 2018, JETRO has held Regional Business Conference, RBC, in various parts of the country.

RBCs hosted since FY2018 (including plans)

This chart shows Regional Business Conference, RBCs, held since 2018 on the map of Japan. RBCs held are as follows from North East of Japan. Hokkaido Prefecture (June, 2019), Field: Tourism and Real Estate, Companies invited: 20 companies (Asia). Hokkaido Prefecture (scheduled in January 2020), Field: Tourism and Inbound (Europe, North America). Sendai City (scheduled in November 2019), Field: ICT sectors, Companies invited: 8 companies (Europe). Fukushima Prefecture (October 2018), Field: Medical devices, Companies invited: 11 companies (Asia, Europe). Ibaraki Prefecture (February 2019), Field: Life Science, Companies invited: 5 companies (Asia, Europe, and North America). Yokohama City (October 2019), Field: Life Science, Companies invited: 9 companies (Europe, North America). GNI (Aichi Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Nagoya City) (October 2019), Field: AI・IoT-related sectors, Companies invited: 19 companies (Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America). Kyoto City (July, 2019), Field: Life Science, Companies invited: 11 companies (North America). Osaka City (March 2019), Field: Accelerators and investors, Companies invited: 5 companies (Asia, Europe). Fukuoka Prefecture (October, 2018), Field: IoT-related sectors, Companies invited: 8 companies (Europe).

Contents of support program for regional foreign direct investment in Japan

No. Supports Contents of Supports
(1) Promotion within /outside Japan “Invest Japan” seminars overseas
  • Opportunities to deliver speech and support for exhibit booths at “Invest Japan” seminars overseas held by JETRO
Hosting Regional Business Conference (RBC)
  • Supports for local governments to invite foreign companies and for their high officials to promote investment into their region
(2) Inviting foreign companies Supports to invite foreign companies
  • Supports for local governments to invite foreign companies
(3) Capacity building to strengthen investment promotion capability
  1. Training and study sessions to learn basics for investment promotion and know-hows
  2. Training by sectors and study sessions for investment promotion strategy building
  3. Dispatch of experts and consultants for invest promotion strategy building
  1. Practical training and study session for those engaged in investment promotion (with JETRO staff or consultants as instructors)
  2. Training and study sessions by experts from specific sectors (with experts and consultants as instructors) (audience would include those from local governments as well as relevant organizations and local companies. )
  3. Dispatch of experts and consultants to participating local regions to support strategy building for inward investment promotion
Supports for investment promotion materials
  • Supports to improve existing inward investment promotion materials of participating local governments

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