Tokushima

The ratio of gross product output from the manufacturing industry to total in Tokushima Prefecture is higher than the national average. There are large production bases in industries such as LEDs, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and lithium-ion batteries. Besides, numerous enterprises with unique technological capabilities and high shares in specific market segments, in fields such as the manufacturing of machinery, paper, furniture, and lumber industries, drive the economy of this prefecture. In recent years, information and communication-related industries such as call centers and satellite offices of ICT companies have agglomerated attracted to the nation's leading "optical broadband environment."

Subsidy for office equipment costs and connection fees: 50% subsidy (up to 10 million yen per year)
Office rent subsidy: 50% subsidy (up to 10 million yen per year)
Employment subsidy: 0.5 million yen per employee (0.3 million yen for part-time employees) (no limit to the total amount) (subsidy available for 3 years)

Target industries: LED-related industries and environment and energy-related industries
Subsidy for invested capital assets: Maximum subsidy rate of 20% (up to 1.5 billion yen)
Local employment subsidy: 0.7 million yen per new hire (up to 60 million yen in total)
Also, we have various programs such as "medical, nursing care and health-related," "promotion of regional branding (industries that make use of the characteristics of Tokushima such as machinery and metals, lumber, and foodstuffs," and "venture businesses."

Target industries: Call centers, business processing centers, digital contents, etc.
Local employment subsidy: 0.7 million yen per new hire (0.4 million yen for part-time employees) (no limit)
Subsidy for office rent and connection fees: 50% subsidy (up to 20 million yen per year)
Subsidy for leasing expenses: 50% subsidy (up to 10 million yen) (only for the first year)
Subsidy for invested capital assets: 20% subsidy (up to 20 million yen) (only for the first year)
Subsidy for training expenses: 50% subsidy (up to 0.1 million yen per person) for 5 years

Tokushima Prefecture is home to the world's first LED device manufacturer to commercialize high-brightness blue LED and now commanding the world's leading share of white LED production. Today, it is one of the world's advanced areas for LEDs. More than 150 manufacturers from within and outside the prefecture cluster to develop various application products using LEDs.

Recently, Next Generation LEDs, such as laser diode (LD) with rapidly expanding applications and markets, deep ultraviolet light with high sterilizing effect, infrared optical frequency comb for precise measurement of optical frequencies, and terahertz light with penetration properties, have been emerging. Tokushima Prefecture promotes the Next Generation LED Valley Initiative, aiming to create new industries and facilitate a virtuous cycle of excellent R&D human resources by capitalizing on the Next Generation LEDs' potential.

Tokushima Prefecture boasts the nation's leading "optical broadband environment," with optical fiber networks extended to every street corner in the province. Using this advantage, the Prefecture has attracted information and communication-related industries such as call centers and satellite offices of ICT companies in the metropolitan area.
In particular, in attracting satellite offices, the Tokushima Satellite Office Project was launched in March 2012 and has drawn attention both domestically and overseas as a "Tokushima model of local revitalization" to create a new flow of people from cities to rural areas. According to the "Survey on the Establishment of Satellite Offices Invited or Involved by Local Governments (as of the end of fiscal 2019)" conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 67 companies have established offices in 14 municipalities in Tokushima Prefecture, ranking Tokushima second in Japan after Hokkaido.

The Tokushima International Strategies Center has been established as a one-stop information service base to respond to diverse needs. It assists foreign residents to improve the convenience of living in medical, disaster prevention, and traffic information matters. It also supports increasing international economic exchange activities with Asian and other countries and developing overseas sales channels for companies in the prefecture.

Located in the eastern part of Shikoku, Tokushima Prefecture is positioned as Shikoku's eastern gateway to connect Shikoku and the Kansai region. It has good access to Awaji Island via the Ohnaruto Bridge and further to Honshu via the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge. It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to Kobe and 2 hours and 30 minutes to Osaka from Naruto City by car. The Shikoku Jukan Expressway and Shikoku Ohdan Expressway connect Tokushima with the other three prefectures of Shikoku. The Shikoku Ohdan Expressway has been extended to Anan, the core city of the southern prefecture.
As for the sea route, ferry services provide access to major cities such as Tokyo, Wakayama City, and Kitakyushu City. In addition, the Akaishi district of the Port of Tokushima Komatsushima is a container terminal capable of handling 15000-tonnage container ships. There is a cargo liner service to Busan (Korea) three times a week. Regarding airways, Tokushima Airport (Tokushima Awa-Odori Airport) is approximately 20 minutes away from the center of Tokushima City by car. There are scheduled flights to Tokyo and Fukuoka.

Air: Approx. 1 hour (10 round trips per day) from Tokyo, Approx. 50 minutes (2 round trips per day) from Fukuoka
Land: Approx. 2.5 hours by car from Osaka

Tokushima Industrial Promotion Organization provides comprehensive and integrated support for projects such as "creation of new businesses," "business innovation," "support for technological development," and "market development." It aims at supporting SMEs in the prefecture to respond appropriately to the changing times and develop vibrant and diverse business activities.
Also, Tokushima Science Center collaborates with the prefectural government, municipalities, and public research laboratories to support the development and exchanges of human resources and provide information and incubation facilities, leading to the enhancement of regional industries and the creation of new businesses.