Japan is a fascinating country with a wealth of culture and opportunity. The regions covered in the “Explorate Opportunities for International Professionals in Japan” series are some of the most diverse and vibrant in Japan. The series provides an overview of the different areas and highlights the unique opportunities and challenges each region poses for international professionals.
In June 2022, the Japanese government announced that it had eased border restrictions for foreign nationals, resulting in an increase in the number of workers, business travelers, and new investors and startups entering Japan. This change has had a positive impact on the economy, and is set to continue into the future.
Japan’s economy is doing well right now, thanks to a combination of factors that are benefiting the country long-term. The devaluing of the yen, a decrease in competition for services, and the increase in business and investment opportunities for foreigners have created an ideal environment for outside investors to invest in Japan.
Kobe city and Aichi prefecture have even partnered up with the world-famous startup accelerator and venture capitalist firm 500 global to create an accelerator program for foreign and Japanese entrepreneurs.
Fukuoka city offers a 500,000 yen subsidy for hiring a person from Fukuoka, a subsidy for covering your rent for a quarter of the year, a reduction in your corporate taxes and even up to a 35,000,000 yen loan at a very low-interest rate of around 1.3%. Starting in late 2022, Sapporo city will start providing a grant of up to 2.5 million yen to startups that meet certain criteria.
Most cities will offer incorporation and banking support and free consultations with labor and visa experts. They will also offer assistance by introducing you to other government agencies, corporations, and partners who can help you jump-start your business in their city.
The cities mentioned here have web pages in English and all have staff that can provide support in English: Kobe, Sapporo, Tokyo, Fukuoka, and Aichi prefecture. Most startup centers will also help foreign companies who want to enter the Japanese market and conduct a proof of concept/test launch before diving fully into the Japanese market. They reduce your market entry risk by introducing potential partnerships with local governments and corporations that would normally not give any new entrant the time of day.
A
Abashiri City, Accessible Kyoto/Nara, Adachi City, Aichi International Association, Aichi Prefecture, Aizu Wakamatsu City, Akaiwa City, Akihabara Electronic Town, Akita City, Akita Prefecture, Arakawa City, Arashiyama Project, Asahikawa City, Asuka Village, Awaji/Shodo Islands, Aya Town
B
Bridges and Tunnels on the Archipelago, Beautiful Japanese Peaks, Biei Town, Bizen City, Bunkyo City, Bureau of Citizens and Cultural Affairs
C
Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Chiba Convention Bureau and International Center, Chikusei City, Chiyoda City, Choshi City, Chofu City, Chuo City, Daisen City
D
E
Ebina City, Ebino City, Edogawa City, Ehime Prefecture, Eniwa City
F
Fujisawa City, Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka City Guide, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Fukutsu City, Furano Town
G
Gero Spa, Gifu Prefecture, Ginowan City, Gosen City, Gotemba City, Go Tokyo, Gotsu City, Greater Nagoya Initiative, Guide to Tokyo, Gunma Prefecture
H
Hachioji City, Hadano City, Hakodote City, Hakone Town, Hakuba Village, Hamada City, Hamamatsu City, Hayama Town, Hekinan City, Hida Takayama, Higashikawa Town, Higashikawa Town, Higashikagura Town, Himeji City, Hirata Village, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture
I
Ibara City, Ibaraki City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Ibusuki City, Ikaruga Town, Ikata Town, Ikeda City, Images of Japan, Imizu City, Inagawa Town, Inakadate Village, Inazawa City, Inuyama City, Ise City, Isehara City, Iseshima Town, Ishikari City, Ishikawa City, Ishinomaki City, Itabashi City, Itoman City, Iwaki City, Iwo-jima
J
Japan Association of City Mayors, Japan: A Country Study, Japan Energy Data, Japan Intercultural Academy of Municipalities, Japan Urban Observatory, Joyo City, Kadena Town, Jozankei Tourist Association
K
Kagawa Prefecture, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kamakura Today, Kamioka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanazawa City, Kansai Window, Kashiwa City, Kashiwara City, Kasugai City, Katsushika City, Kawachinagano City, Kawasaki City, Keihana Plaza in Kansai, Kimitsu City, Kiryu City, Kita City, Kitakyushu City, Kitanagoya City, Kitashiobara Village, Kobe City, Kochi Prefecture, Kokubunji City, Komatsu City, Konan City, Koriyama City, Koto City, Kumagaya City, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kumano, Kusatsu Town, Kushimoto Town, Kyotanabe City, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto Research Park
M
Maebashi City, Marugame City, Matsuyama City, Meguro City, Mie Prefecture, Miewa Town, Mifune Town, Mikasa City, Miki City, Miki Town, Minami-Alps City, Minamichita City, Minato City, Minobu Town, Misawa City, Mishima City, Mitaka City, Miura City, Miyajima Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, Miyoshi City, Mizumaki Town, Mizunami City, Mombetsu City, More Images of Japan, Moriya City, Mt. Fuji, Muko City, Murata Town
N
Nagano Prefecture, Naganohara Town, Nagasu Town, Nagiso Town, Nagoya City, Nakano City, Namerikawa City, Narita City, Naruto City, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Niiza City, Nikaho City, Ninohe City, Nishio City, Nishitokyo City, Nissin City, North Kansai, Northern Road Navi, Numata City
O
Obanazawa City, Obihiro City, Obu City, Ogata Village, Okayama City, Okinawa City, Okinawa in Pictures, Okinawa Prefecture, Onomichi City, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Owariashi City
P
Panorama Tokyo, Port of Hakata, Port of Kitakyushu, Port of Osaka, Port of Shimonoseki, Port of Tokyo Ferry Terminal, Ports and Harbors in Japan, Prefectural Stones of Japan
R
S
Sabae City, Saitama Super Arena, Sakai City, Sanjo City, Sapporo Ambassador, Sasebo City, Seika Town, Semboku City, Sendai City, Setagaya City, Seto City, Shibuya City, Shichigahama Town, Shiga Prefecture, Shiiba Village, Shikabe Town, Shimabara City, Shimane Prefecture, Shimonoseki City, Shinagawa City, Shinjuku City, hirakawa Village, Shiraoi Town, Shiroishi City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shodoshima Town, Soka City, South Alps Photo Gallery, Suginami City, Suita City, Sumida City, Suzuka City
T
Taito City, Takamatsu City, Takehara City, Tamano City, Tanabe City, Tateyama City, Tateyama Town, Tawaramoto Town, Techno Plaza Okaya, Tendo City, The Essence of Kyoto’s Economy, Tochigi Prefecture, Tokuname City, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo MOU, Tomioka Town, Tomiya Town, Tondabayashi City, Toshima City, Tottori City, Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, Toyohashi City, Toyokawa City, Toyooka City, Tsubame City, Tsukuba City, Tsushima City
W
Wakayama Prefecture, Wako City
Y
Yaku Town, Yamada Town, Yamagata Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Yamanashi Prefecture, Yamanouchi Town,Yamato City, Yamatokoriyama City, Yamato Takada City, Yaotsu Town, Yokohama Bayside Marina, Yokohama City, Yokosuka Research Park, Yokota Airbase, Yomitan Village, Yosano Town, Yuzawa Town