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.