1. Five prefectures in the Kansai region compete each other to attract businesses. According to the budget plans recently announced, Osaka, Hyogo, and Kyoto will increase subsidies for economic development. On the other hand, Shiga and Wakayama will set up a new plan to attract new businesses.
2. Kyoto City aids up to \50 millions to the businesses that construct factories or laboratories on historical remains. The businesses have a legal obligation to conduct research on the remains at their own expense.
3. A large number of retirements grows budget deficit of local authorities. According to the budget plans recently announced, local authorities in the Kansai region will finance increasing retirement payment by issuing special-purpose bonds.
4. Nakayama Ironworks gave up setting up a new industrial waste disposal facility at the coastal industrial zone. As the facility is the core of the Osaka Prefecture’s Eco Town project, it is unclear if the Osaka Prefecture was able to accomplish the project.
5. According to a report released by the Kansai Institute for Social and Economic Research, the Kansai region had stagnated due to low productivity until 2003. The Kansai economy is, however, entering economic recovery due to the decreasing interest-bearing debt and the increasing export towards Asian countries.
6. The total value of export and import in Wakayama Prefecture exceeded \1,000 millions for the first time in 24years last year.
7. The Osaka Stock exchanges projected that the new listing in Hercules, the Osaka’s market for new companies, would approach 45 companies in fiscal 2006. This is the record high since its opening.
8. A vanity gallery was opened near the Old Imperial Palace, Kyoto. A traditional house was turned over to the gallery to attract students and art- lovers.
9. The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry is planning an industrial tour with its counter parties in Kyoto and Kobe.
10. The Kansai International Airport projected that the numbers of departure and arrival would exceed 125 thousands in fiscal 2007. Meanwhile, the Moody’s announced that Kansai International Airport got the highest bond rating, “Aaa”.
***All news articles are cut out from the Kansai pages of Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
***This is originally written for USCS.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Kansai News clips Feb.13-20
1. Osaka Prefecture announced its budget plan for fiscal 2007. Tax revenue is expected to increase because of the economic recovery. The balance, however, is still expected to leave a shortfall of \139.2 billion, as the prefecture expands preferential measures for small and medium size businesses/ economic development.
2. JR Tokai allowed Shiga Prefecture to postpone the decision about whether the local authority will accept a Shinkansen station construction in Shiga Prefecture until the end October 2007.
3. Kansai based local banks recorded an increase in the number of bank loans in the April through December period over last year’s levels.
4. According to a report released by the Kansai Institute for Social and Economic Research last week, people living in the Kansai are pessimistic about the local economy compared with people living in Kanto and Chubu.
5. Department store sales in the Kansai region increased for the first time in two months. The Osaka area recorded year on year losses for the 11th consecutive month. However, sales in Kyoto and Kobe area have been good, and outweighed the losses in Osaka.
6. Nanba Parks, a shopping mall in Nanba, Osaka, will increase its present 111 stores to 238 on April 19. It expects \26.9 billion in sales in its first year.
7. Sakai City sent a trade mission to Indonesia from February 7 to 12. About 100 local participants talked business with the trade mission.
8. Hankyu Realty and Hanshin Electric Railway announced a joint real-estate development in front of Rokko station. This is the first joint development since Hankyu Corporation and Hanshin Electric Railway mergered into Hankyu Hanshin Holdings.
***All news articles are cut out from the Kansai pages of Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
2. JR Tokai allowed Shiga Prefecture to postpone the decision about whether the local authority will accept a Shinkansen station construction in Shiga Prefecture until the end October 2007.
3. Kansai based local banks recorded an increase in the number of bank loans in the April through December period over last year’s levels.
4. According to a report released by the Kansai Institute for Social and Economic Research last week, people living in the Kansai are pessimistic about the local economy compared with people living in Kanto and Chubu.
5. Department store sales in the Kansai region increased for the first time in two months. The Osaka area recorded year on year losses for the 11th consecutive month. However, sales in Kyoto and Kobe area have been good, and outweighed the losses in Osaka.
6. Nanba Parks, a shopping mall in Nanba, Osaka, will increase its present 111 stores to 238 on April 19. It expects \26.9 billion in sales in its first year.
7. Sakai City sent a trade mission to Indonesia from February 7 to 12. About 100 local participants talked business with the trade mission.
8. Hankyu Realty and Hanshin Electric Railway announced a joint real-estate development in front of Rokko station. This is the first joint development since Hankyu Corporation and Hanshin Electric Railway mergered into Hankyu Hanshin Holdings.
***All news articles are cut out from the Kansai pages of Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Kansai News clips Feb.8-12
Interregional Competition
1. According to a report recently released by the Japan Research Institute, the number of young people moving out from the Kansai region to the Chubu region has increased in 2004. Due to weakness in the manufacturing and small businesses in Kansai, Aichi Prefecture recorded a net increase of 4,169 people in 2004, of which 3,074 were young people.
Osaka
2. Osaka City announced the stringent fiscal budget plans for 2007, which is the second year of the five-year plan to cut JPY 225 billion from the budget.
3. According to the budget, Osaka City will shift its focus from public investment to economic development based on knowledge and innovation. The city has allocated JPY 4.6 billion to encourage innovative businesses and those that cultivate better HR skills.
Kobe
4. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported on Kobe Airport’s one-year anniversary. The number of passengers has been below the projections. However, the newspaper stated the airport contributed to the increased numbers of tourists, and attracting businesses to the Kobe region.
5. In fact, Kobe City and Hyogo Prefecture announced on Feb. 8 that they succeeded in attracting a call center from JCOM, a leading Japanese cable company, to Kobe City.
Housing
6. Kyoto City is planning to purchase historical housings in the city to preserve the city’s traditional scenery.
7. The Japan Development Bank decided to implement an environmentally rated loan to the Japanese firm, Sekisui Chemical, due to its efforts to develop environment-friendly housing. The company won a 0.6 % reduction in its outstanding loan interest rates.
***All news articles are cut out from the Kansai pages of Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
***This is originally written for USCS.
1. According to a report recently released by the Japan Research Institute, the number of young people moving out from the Kansai region to the Chubu region has increased in 2004. Due to weakness in the manufacturing and small businesses in Kansai, Aichi Prefecture recorded a net increase of 4,169 people in 2004, of which 3,074 were young people.
Osaka
2. Osaka City announced the stringent fiscal budget plans for 2007, which is the second year of the five-year plan to cut JPY 225 billion from the budget.
3. According to the budget, Osaka City will shift its focus from public investment to economic development based on knowledge and innovation. The city has allocated JPY 4.6 billion to encourage innovative businesses and those that cultivate better HR skills.
Kobe
4. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported on Kobe Airport’s one-year anniversary. The number of passengers has been below the projections. However, the newspaper stated the airport contributed to the increased numbers of tourists, and attracting businesses to the Kobe region.
5. In fact, Kobe City and Hyogo Prefecture announced on Feb. 8 that they succeeded in attracting a call center from JCOM, a leading Japanese cable company, to Kobe City.
Housing
6. Kyoto City is planning to purchase historical housings in the city to preserve the city’s traditional scenery.
7. The Japan Development Bank decided to implement an environmentally rated loan to the Japanese firm, Sekisui Chemical, due to its efforts to develop environment-friendly housing. The company won a 0.6 % reduction in its outstanding loan interest rates.
***All news articles are cut out from the Kansai pages of Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
***This is originally written for USCS.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Kansai News clips Feb.2-7
Economic Development
1. Osaka Prefecture announced to introduce a 90% corporate tax cut for small and medium size businesses that invest more than JPY 1.6 million between the fiscal year of 2007 and 2009.
2. Osaka Prefecture also introduces new investment loan scheme focusing on small and medium size businesses. The prefecture plans to lease about JPY 10 billion.
3. The Yanmar Diesel Engine announced to build a new international distribution center on the Port Island, Kobe. The amount of new investment is JPY 3.3 billion.
4. Matsushita’s new plasma factory changes the urban planning of Amagasaki City, which won the new factory last month. The city is now working on relaxing the urban planning around the planned construction site alleviatory enough to build factories and research centers there.
5. A structural changing is underway in the eastern part of Osaka Prefecture. The area has developed as the center of manufacturing, but the increase of residential constructions makes factory owners nervous about their future because they anticipate eviction requests from new residents and land price rises. Some factories move forward on harmonious coexistence with new residents.
Survey
6. The opening of mega stores in the Kansai region decreased by 15% last year due to the tightening of regulations. Wakayama Prefecture recorded the worst drop among the six prefectures.
7. The Kobe Airport marked a new record low of the load factor, 52.7%, last month.
***All news articles are cut out from the Kansai pages of Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
***This is originally written for USCS.
1. Osaka Prefecture announced to introduce a 90% corporate tax cut for small and medium size businesses that invest more than JPY 1.6 million between the fiscal year of 2007 and 2009.
2. Osaka Prefecture also introduces new investment loan scheme focusing on small and medium size businesses. The prefecture plans to lease about JPY 10 billion.
3. The Yanmar Diesel Engine announced to build a new international distribution center on the Port Island, Kobe. The amount of new investment is JPY 3.3 billion.
4. Matsushita’s new plasma factory changes the urban planning of Amagasaki City, which won the new factory last month. The city is now working on relaxing the urban planning around the planned construction site alleviatory enough to build factories and research centers there.
5. A structural changing is underway in the eastern part of Osaka Prefecture. The area has developed as the center of manufacturing, but the increase of residential constructions makes factory owners nervous about their future because they anticipate eviction requests from new residents and land price rises. Some factories move forward on harmonious coexistence with new residents.
Survey
6. The opening of mega stores in the Kansai region decreased by 15% last year due to the tightening of regulations. Wakayama Prefecture recorded the worst drop among the six prefectures.
7. The Kobe Airport marked a new record low of the load factor, 52.7%, last month.
***All news articles are cut out from the Kansai pages of Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
***This is originally written for USCS.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Kansai News clips Jan.23-Feb.1
1. Unusually warm winter has changed consumers’ behavior in the Kansai region. Sales of spring/summer goods such as spring apparel, salad greens, beer, and garden supplies are robust. Golf links and amusement parks have seen the increase of visitors this winter.
2. Although the number of new employees is increasing, it is very difficult to get a regular job in Kansai. This is because some big businesses moved out from this region and remaining firms prefer to hire temporary workers.
3. Izumiya, a grocery store chain, starts to charge for plastic shopping bags in both Kyoto and Osaka on trial.
4. The Osaka Security Exchange announced to list gold-linked and foreign stock-linked investment funds as early as this April.
5. Osaka Prefecture and City will organize a technology assembly for small and medium size businesses to publicize their new innovations.
6. Business performance from April to December
-All Listed Kansai security companies: drop of incomes and profits (Year on Year)
-JR West: 6% drop of current profits (YoY)
-Kansai Electric Power: 3% drop of current profits (YoY)
-Osaka Gas: 7 % increase of current profits (YoY)
7. The Kyoto Central Market announced to invest 3.7 billion Yen to establish a new process and distribution center.
8. The Mitsui Real Estate purchased a 10 billion Yen shopping center in the center of Kobe.
***All news articles are cut out from the Kansai pages of Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
***This is written for USCS.
2. Although the number of new employees is increasing, it is very difficult to get a regular job in Kansai. This is because some big businesses moved out from this region and remaining firms prefer to hire temporary workers.
3. Izumiya, a grocery store chain, starts to charge for plastic shopping bags in both Kyoto and Osaka on trial.
4. The Osaka Security Exchange announced to list gold-linked and foreign stock-linked investment funds as early as this April.
5. Osaka Prefecture and City will organize a technology assembly for small and medium size businesses to publicize their new innovations.
6. Business performance from April to December
-All Listed Kansai security companies: drop of incomes and profits (Year on Year)
-JR West: 6% drop of current profits (YoY)
-Kansai Electric Power: 3% drop of current profits (YoY)
-Osaka Gas: 7 % increase of current profits (YoY)
7. The Kyoto Central Market announced to invest 3.7 billion Yen to establish a new process and distribution center.
8. The Mitsui Real Estate purchased a 10 billion Yen shopping center in the center of Kobe.
***All news articles are cut out from the Kansai pages of Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
***This is written for USCS.
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