Kumamoto city

Kumamoto City is located in the middle of Kyushu with a population of 740,000 or exceeding 1,060,000 with its surrounding urban areas included. The City is endowed with natural settings such as pristine groundwater and abundant greenery, and sophisticated urban functions.
In April 2012, Kumamoto became the 20th ordinance-designated city, becoming one of Japan's model cities.
As regards industry, many food and semiconductor-related businesses agglomerate, and the automobile and motorcycle-related industries and medical product-related industries are well-developed. The City is prepared to offer one of the best subsidy programs in the country.

Subsidies for acquiring land, building, equipment, rent, and hiring new employees are granted to companies (manufacturing, road cargo transportation, packaging, and warehousing) establishing or expanding plants, logistic centers, and R&D facilities in Kumamoto City. The maximum subsidy is 3 billion yen.

Subsidies for acquiring land, building, equipment, rent, and hiring new employees are granted to companies (software, information and communications services, internet-related services, design, content, machine design, and non-destructive inspection) establishing or expanding call centers, office centers, and offices in Kumamoto City. The maximum subsidy is 300 million yen (500 million yen for building acquisitions).

Subsidies for acquiring land, building, equipment, rent, and hiring new employees are granted to companies establishing or expanding an office (research and planning, information processing, R&D, international business, and other administrative divisions) in Kumamoto City. (Limited to projects involving transfers or expansions of headquarters functions as the main component). The maximum subsidy is 1 billion yen.

The food manufacturing industry is concentrated against the backdrop of excellent water resources and abundant agricultural and fishery products, and it accounts for 30% of the manufacturing industry in the City. Foodpal Kumamoto, an industrial park in the food manufacturing sector, rare nationwide, is also well known as a tourist site.
The medical care and biotechnology industries are also substantial thanks to a cluster of medical universities.

Many semiconductor-related businesses cluster around Kumamoto City and its surrounding urban area, attracted by abundant groundwater. It is the core of Kyushu, the "Silicon Island."
In recent years, businesses focus on environmental-related industries such as the new energy industry and the green devices industry derived from semiconductor technologies.

A cluster of automobile and motorcycle industries has developed thanks to Honda's car assembly plant in Kumamoto City and Toyota, Nissan, and Daihatsu factories in northern Kyushu. They play a significant role in Kyushu, the "Car Island."

Kumamoto City operates a website to provide crucial administrative information in English, Chinese and Korean, to non-Japanese residents.
When you have problem speaking Japanese, questions concerning day-to-day matters, or need advice, you can consult with the Kumamoto Kumamoto City International Center.

Conveniently located in the middle of Kyushu, Kumamoto City is crisscrossed by major national highways, expressways, and bullet train lines, giving the City excellent accessibility.
From Kumamoto City, it takes about 150 minutes to reach all major cities in Kyushu by car. The entire Kyushu region will become a business opportunity if a company decides to set up business in the City.

By Kyushu Shinkansen, it takes about 3 hours from Kumamoto Station to Shin-Osaka Station, and about 30 minutes to Hakata Station.

Kumamoto City fully supports the companies in the location through five "excellent" - excellent subsidy system for establishing a business, excellent business environment, excellent transportation convenience, excellent urban functions, and excellent living environment.