Fukuoka city

Fukuoka city has a geographical advantage as the closest Japanese city to Asian cities in China, South Korea, and others. Hakata and Tenjin, the city's economic centers, have excellent access from the international airport, only 10 minutes by subway. Fukuoka ranks first among Japan's government-ordinance designated cities in terms of population growth rate and the young population ratio. In particular, the city is trying to accumulate IT human resources and companies as "Engineer Friendly City Fukuoka," a growing city in which engineers gather and play active roles. Furthermore, the city has been actively supporting startups since 2012. In 2020, Fukuoka was the only city to be selected by the national government as a "global base city" to support the development of startups intensively. Thus it serves as a base to create leading companies.

Fukuoka city provides subsidies to companies establishing businesses in the target fields in Fukuoka city to cover parts of their investment, lease, employment, and establishment expenses according to the business field, location, office floor area, and the number of employees.

Fukuoka city promotes the recruitment of highly-skilled foreign professionals by adding extra points under the point-based system for granting "highly-skilled foreign professionals" residence status for foreign persons working at companies receiving the Fukuoka City Business Establishment Support Program subsidies.

Businesses who are certified under Section 2 of Article 17 of the Local Revitalization Act and fulfill the requirements of "Fukuoka City Ordinance on the Promotion of the Development of Head Office Functions in the Areas for Improving Local Vibrancy" are eligible for preferential tax treatments on buildings, structures, machine equipment, or land (hereinafter referred to as "buildings, etc.") newly acquired for head office functions.

Startup Visa Available

Fukuoka, widely recognized for its abundance of young talent and comfortable working environment, is becoming a growing hub for knowledge-creating industries, particularly in digital content fields such as software development and gaming

TEAM FUKUOKA is a public-private-academic partnership launched in 2020 to attract international financial functions to Fukuoka. This initiative aims to transform Fukuoka into a global financial city that continuously drives innovation by promoting concentration of asset management, fintech, and other financial businesses from both Japan and abroad.

The transfer of head office functions to Fukuoka is taking place to promote BCP measures and work-life balance, reflecting the trends for decentralization from the concentration in Tokyo to regions.

Fukuoka city is acclaimed by the British magazine "Monocle" and others as one of the world's most friendly cities for foreign residents. According to a survey on business persons in Japan, Fukuoka city was ranked No. 1 in "good place to live" and No. 2 in "desirable place to live." Thanks to its compact size, the city ranks first in commute time for work or school among the seven major metropolitan areas in Japan. The low cost of living, such as rent, is highly evaluated. Fukuoka City International Foundation established an office called "Rainbow Plaza" to provide the information required for daily life, consultation, counseling, and legal advice for foreign residents in Fukuoka.

As of June 2025, international flights connect Fukuoka with Busan, Seoul, Daegu, Cheongju, Beijing (via Dalian), Shanghai, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok, and Singapore on a daily basis.
Among these, routes to and from Busan, Seoul, and Shanghai are scheduled to allow for same-day business trips.
In recent years, Fukuoka has also gained recognition as a logistics hub for East Asia, thanks to its well-developed and highly accessible infrastructure. This includes the Port of Hakata, which handles container shipping routes; Fukuoka Airport, offering 28 domestic and 24 international routes; expressway interchanges; and cargo train terminals — all located conveniently within the city.

Connected to 24 overseas cities, Fukuoka Airport has been serving as a hub for Asia, with airport traffic increasing every year due to growing demand. It has grown into Japan’s fifth largest international airport in terms of trade volume, following Narita and Kansai Airports. Offering excellent access to major Asian cities—approximately 2 hours to Shanghai and 90 minutes to Seoul—it also boasts an extensive domestic transportation network, providing convenient access to major cities across Japan.

Fukuoka City has established Global Business Support (GBS), a one-stop support center for foreign entrepreneurs, overseas startups, and international financial institutions interested in expanding into the city.
Experienced staff members offer free consultations, covering a wide range of services including business incorporation procedures, startup visa applications, assistance with obtaining financial licenses, and business matching.
In addition, GBS collaborates with overseas startup support organizations that have mutual cooperation agreements with Fukuoka City. Through these partnerships, GBS gathers overseas market information, supports global business expansion, and facilitates business meetings with international companies.