Investing in Japan

Regional Information Osaka
Osaka supports growing industries (life sciences, new energy area)!
Your Regional Guide : Mikiko Furuyama
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Investment and Growth Support Division
Sakishima Bld.25F,1-14-16 Nankoukita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka 559-8555 |

Osaka
- If you can't find the information you need, please contact JETRO
.
- Please note that inquires not regarding investment in Japan may not be answered.
The information below is as of November 2017. (Basic Information: September 2018)
Basic Information
Population *1 | 8.83 million |
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Labor force *1 | 3.84 million |
Area (square kilometer)*2 | 1,905.14 |
GDP *3 | 39,106,932 million yen |
Major industries | Chemical, petroleum, and coal products, metal products and production machinery, steel |
Wage *4 |
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Land price(for 1square meter) *5 |
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Number of Establishments *6 | 446,119 |
Number of Employees *6 | 4,729,325 |
Offices overseas |
Shanghai, China |
JETRO office |
JETRO Osaka |
Regional Profile
Strength of the region's industries and economy
With a population of more than 8.8 million and a GDP on par with Norway’s, Osaka Prefecture has great potential for economic growth.
Osaka has long boast high quality SMEs in the manufacturing industry, attracting many world-class companies with quality technologies and highly skilled human resources that support such companies.
In recent years, environmental/new energy industries and life-science-related industries have been developing industrial clusters in the prefecture, while also advancing strategic initiatives through industry, academia, and governmental collaboration taking advantage of the excellent research environment.
Foreign company(s) operating in the industry
A number of companies have established offices in Osaka: Corning Japan (US) built its plant in the city; AirTAC Co. Ltd. (Taiwan) opened an Osaka head office; and TUV Rheinland Japan (Germany) established a head office to cover Asia. Case examples of overseas companies investing in Osaka are available on the Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC) website.
Company name |
Corning Japan K.K.![]() |
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Country | U.S. |
Industry sector |
Special glass and ceramics manufacturing |
Date of entry | Dec-07 |
Support provided by local government or JETRO |
Osaka Prefecture's grant for advanced industries |
Available incentives
Other than subsidies for foreign-affiliated companies expanding into the prefecture, Osaka Prefecture offers preferential treatment of local tax when companies expand into the prefecture's Special Zone and have their business plan approved and conduct new energy- and life sciences-related business, in addition to subsidies targeted at SMEs and preferential tax treatment for the industrial cluster area.
Moreover, the Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC) provides a one-stop service to support foreign delegations, foreign economic organizations, and foreign-affiliated companies seeking to do business located in Osaka.
Incentive name |
Subsidy for Business Start-Up of Foreign-Capital Enterprise |
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Incentive type | Subsidies |
Incentive target industries |
Foreign-affiliated companies (foreign capital rate: 1/3 higher) expanding into Osaka Prefecture through the establishment of a new headquarters. |
Outline of Incentives (Requirements etc.) |
*Limit varies depending on the number of employees |
Incentive name |
Subsidy for Promotion of Investment |
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Incentive type | Subsidies |
Incentive target industries |
SMEs that build or renovate factories or R&D facilities in a designated location |
Outline of Incentives (Requirements etc.) |
(1)When the investment amount is 100 million yen or more, the subsidy rate is 5% of premises or facilities (up to 30 million yen)(2)50% of corporate enterprise tax(up to 20 million yen) |
Incentive name |
Tax Treatment for Growth Industries in the Special Cluster Zone |
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Incentive type | Preferential Tax Treatment |
Incentive target industries |
New energy- and life sciences-related companies with an approved business plan have been expanding business in the prefectural Special Cluster Zone (Yumeshima/Sakishima/Hanshin Port district; areas surrounded by Osaka Station and its vicinity; Kita Osaka; Kansai International Airport district; and Northern Osaka Health and Biomedical Innovation Town). |
Outline of Incentives (Requirements etc.) |
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Incentive name |
Taxation System for Industrial Accumulation Promotion |
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Incentive type | Prefential Tax Treatment |
Incentive target industries |
SMEs acquiring factories, R&D centers, warehouse premises, and land in the Industrial Accumulation Promotion area and receiving preferential treatment on acquisition provided by municipalities |
Outline of Incentives (Requirements etc.) |
Equivalent amount of 50% of real estate acquisition tax associated with acquiring targeted real estate (up to 200 million yen) |
Incentive name |
Support provided by Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC) |
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Incentive type | Others |
Incentive target industries |
Foreign-affiliated companies (when its foreign capital rate is 1/3 or higher) setting up their head office or branch in Osaka during the set period with support from O-BIC or local municipalities |
Outline of Incentives (Requirements etc.) |
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- Related Link
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Industrial location guide: Osaka Business and Investment Center(O-BIC)
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Incentive: Welcome to Osaka - A must-read guidance for Companies in the New Energy and Life Science Fields -
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Incentive: Osaka Area Investment Guide
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Incentive: Preferential Treatment System in Osaka
Services for investment in Japan
Providing market information | Advice on the matters related to entering into Japanese market |
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Support for establishing a base | Consultation on the matters related to establishing a Japanese base, Provision of facilities including a incubation office |
Other | Other services |
Being established jointly by Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, and the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC) provides comprehensive one-stop services to overseas companies looking for information about markets, potential business partners, incentives, offices, and daily-living information. The center also provides free-of-charge and thorough support to foreign-affiliated companies in establishing a foothold in Japan, such as immigration procedures, incorporation procedures, hiring staff and taxation.
- Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC)
- Operators: Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, and the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry O-BIC one-stop services
- Basic-information provision on Osaka in four languages (English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese)
- Information provision on real estate, e.g., offices, warehouses, plants and residences
- Information provision on daily-living necessity, e.g., schools and healthcare facilities

Osaka Business and Investment Center
Support service
- Related Link
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Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC)
Database of candidate partners
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OSAKA EXPORTERS GUIDE
Concerning SMEs in Osaka Prefecture that wish to explore sales channels overseas, the database offers a free-of-charge translation service from Japanese to English concerning information on their outstanding products, technologies and services and releases the translation results online to attract overseas companies.
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Business-to-Business Network in the Manufacturing Industry
This network is a unique effort by Osaka Prefecture and participating financial institutes of the network. The network provides client companies with search and introduction services concerning proactive partner companies in the manufacturing industry that meet the conditions of the client companies.- Available inside and outside Japan
- Free-of-charge introduction with secure confidentiality, providing client companies with safe circumstances
- 39 financial institutes in Osaka Prefecture as well as the rest of Japan can retrieve their partner companies from a database and introduce selected ones to client companies