Tokyo’s Academic and Industrial Strengths
Your Next Destination for a Successful Meeting

TOKYO

2

TOKYO

Leading the world in academia and businessTokyo offers value beyond the obvious. Why?
The city’s sheer economic scale, the many outstanding universities andresearch institutions, the huge business community, and government initiatives
represent limitless potential for synergy and networks ready to be harnessed.
In terms of the economy, Tokyo has the world’s highest GDP, even higher than
London and New York. As Japan’s center of academics and business, the city isideal for meetings in any field.
Academically, Tokyo has 140 universities, 13 of which are ranked in the Times
Higher Education World University Ranking. The city is a true hub of academic
excellence and state-of-the-art research.
On the business side, the city’s private sector is enormous: 1,900 listedcompanies are headquartered there, amounting to the largest aggregate market
capitalization in Asia. Many of these companies are eager to work withacademia in pursuit of even greater value and innovation.
In addition, strong local government initiatives further promote the city’s dynamic
growth and progress toward the future.
Holding your international conference in Tokyo lets you and your delegates tap
into all of the resources the city has to offer. Selecting Tokyo for your next
meeting will surely bring success beyond expectations.

Business Events TeamTokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB)

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CONTENTS 〉〉〉

01
02
03
04

Overview of Tokyo4

As an Academic Hub

8

As an Industrial Hub 14

Plans for the Future 20

01 Over view of Tok yo

401 Overview of Tokyo
World’s Largest City in Population andEconomic Scale
The World’s Metropolitan Area Rankings

No. 1 in economic scale andpopulation

Rank

Ar ea

POP(Mil)GDP(Bil USD)With 1,616 billion USD in GDP and a population of 37

1

Tokyo

37.03

1,616

million, Tokyo outranks New York as the top metro-

2

New York

20.07

1,403

polis in the world, according to the US think tank3

Los Angeles

13.22

860

4

Seoul

24.62

845

5

London

14.62

835

6

Paris

12.49

715

7

Osaka

18.70

671

8

Shanghai

24.68

594

9

Chicago

9.57

563

10

Moscow

12.08

553

Brookings Institution.

Economic scale more than doublethat of other Asian metropolises
Tokyo’s economy is huge – overwhelmingly so, evenin the context of rapid growth in many Asian cities.
Tokyo’s GDP is 3.2 times that of Beijing and 4.4 times
that of Singapore.

GDP Comparison with Other Asian Metropolitan Cities
Tokyo Metropolitan Area

$1,616 Bil
Beijing$506 BilTokyo$788Bil●Shanghai●●$594 Bil
●
●

●

Seoul
$845 Bil

Hong
Kong

Melbourne$178 Bil$416 Bil●

SydneyTaipei$223 Bil$327 Bil

Singapore$365 Bil

The diagram compares the GDPs of Asian cities. For
Tokyo, the outer circle shows the Greater Tokyo Area
and the smaller circle shows Tokyo as a city. Bothindicate that their GDP scales are very large.

●●

Source: “Global Metro Monitor”, Brookings Institution;“ Repor t on Tok yo’ s Account for Fiscal 2013 ”, Tok yo
Metropolitan Government; ”World Economy Outlook”, IMF

An Abundance of Universities andResearch Centers

The University of Tokyo

Thirteen universities in Tokyo ranked
among the best in the world

Number of Universities Listed in
the “World University Rankings (2015-2016)”

True to its name of the academic hub of Japan,

16

Education World University Rankings. The city has

14

13

12

11

14

14

Tokyo has 13 universities listed in the Times Higher
more universities on the list than any other city in theworld except for London and is at a level comparable
to a U.S. state. Over 140 universities are located inTokyo as a whole.

The University of Tokyo has more
Nobel laureates in Asia

108
6The University of Tokyo is known as one of the very
best in Asia. Seven of the 23* Japanese winners of

4

the Nobel Prize are University of Tokyo alumni,
indicating the University’s excellence in various

2

9

9
8
7
6

6
4
3 3
2

fields of study.

0
Lo
nd
T on
ok
yo
Se
ou
Pa l
r
Be is
Sh ijin
g
a
H ngh
on
ai
g
M Kon
el
bo g
u
Ba rne
ng
k
Sy ok
Si dn
ng ey
ap
or
e
C
al
ifo
rn
M
as T ia
sa ex
ch as
us
et
ts

*note: Seven include laureates in physics, literature, chemistry
and medicine or physiology. A winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is
not included.

Source: “World University Rankings 2015-2016”, Times Higher Education

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01 Over view of Tok yo

601 Overview of Tokyo
Home to a Profusion of World-Class
Companies
Thirty-Eight Fortune Global 500
companies headquartered in Tokyo

Majority of foreign companies
based in Tokyo

Tokyo outranks London and New York City in the

76%, or about 2,400, of foreign companies in Japan

number of Global 500 companies with headquarters

are located in Tokyo.

in the city. Half, or about 2,700, of all major Japanese
corporations are based in Tokyo.

Number of HQs of
Fortune Global 500 Companies

Number of Companies with Capital ofat least USD 10 Million

38
Rest of Japan

3,212

18 18 17

Rest of Japan

6
Paris

LondonNewYork

46% Tokyo

2,748

Foreign Companies’ HQs in Japan

13

Tokyo

54%

Seoul

Hong
Kong

731

2

24%

76% Tokyo

2,376Singapore

Source: “The Fortune 2015 Global”, Fortune

Source: “Industry and Employment in Tokyo -A Graphic
Overview 2015-”, Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Heading for Further Growth

As the capital of Japan and business center of Asia and the world, Tokyo is the base for thousands of companies
and has well-established industrial infrastructure to support their activities. The city continues to upgrade its
urban infrastructure and attract high-level industries in its quest for further growth and globalization.

Promotion of the Life Sciences Industry
In a drive for further growth, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government isfocusing on the life sciences industry and drug discovery in particular.
Nihombashi area, near Tokyo Station, is a concentrated area forpharmaceutical companies, and the city is working to set the next stage
for industry-academia collaboration and venture incubation. The goal is
to expand into a major hub for Asian life sciences.
Also of note are the many small to mid-sized Monozukuri ( highlysophisticated manufacturing ) businesses in Tokyo. The city aims tocapitalize on the outstanding techniques and expertise of these entities
to further promote the medical devices industry.

Framework for a Global Financial Center
Efforts are underway to make Tokyo an international financial centercomparable to New York’s Wall Street or London’s Square Mile: amagnet for human resources, capital and information from around theworld.
The district around Tokyo Station has already attracted many majorbanks and securities firms. Tax reforms and suitable housing are being
considered to invite even more financial companies and highly
specialized human resources from the global market.

Realization of a Smart Energy City
To do its part for a truly sustainable society, the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government supports the installation of energy management systems inhomes and companies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Tokyo is also promoting the use of next-generation hydrogen energy.
The athletes’ village for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games
will be supplied by hydrogen power, and will continue to be a model area
for an advanced hydrogen society after it is converted to residential andcommercial uses once the Games are over.

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02 As an Academic Hub

8

02 As an Academic Hub

Academic Metropolis with 140 Universities

Over 140 universities are located in the Tokyo area, with approximately 70,000 teaching professionals and
700,000 students.* In addition, there are roughly 70 public and 90 private research institutions. All in all, Tokyo
is the true academic hub of Japan.

Aggregation of Universities and Research Institutes in Tokyo

70,00070 public researchteaching professionals

institutes

700,000
students

90 private research
institutes

140universities*Source: “School Basic Survey”, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

Eight Nobel Laureates are Alumni of Universities in TokyoJapan has had the honor of producing 23 Nobel Prize winners. Eight of them are graduates of either the
University of Tokyo or the Tokyo Institute of Technology, both of which are located in the Tokyo city center. In
other parts of Asia, China has produced 12 Nobel laureates and India, eight. Japan’s and Tokyo’s achievementin this context is nothing short of overwhelming.

Japan

10

Australia

8

India
Korea
As of July 2016

Tokyo 8

12

China

2

23

Breakdown of Nobel Prizes Awarded to Graduates of
Universities in Tokyo
Medicine or
Physiology
Chemistry

2

1

Literature

1

4

Physics

Highest Concentration of Medical Research
Facilities in the Asia Pacific
Number of Cited Research Papers in the Medical and Life Sciences Fields

Shanghai
501,466
10%

Hong Kong
364,520
7% 11%
68%

41%

26%
19%

4%

Beijing
796,162
10%
21%
21%
10%
8%
4% 26%

Seoul
741,8834%
10% 7%
13%
61%■ Molecular Biology & Genetics■ Neuroscience & Behavior■ Biology & Biochemistry■ Immunology■ Microbiology■ Clinical Medicine■ Pharmacology & Toxicology

2%
3%

Tokyo
913,311
4%

6%
4%
4%
3%
8% 12% 2%

Singapore
352,362

75%

Melbourne
6%
23%
711,813
31%
6%
2%
26%
25% 3% 5%
36%
11%
7
15% %
4%

Taipei
393,935

26%

31%

5%
9% 16%9%

3%6%
13%Sydney9% 837,365
57%
9%
3%

Source: Source: Summarized by NRI based on “InCites Benchmarking”, Thomson Reuters

The number of citations indicates how much a paper

Particularly noteworthy is the large number of cita-

is referred to by other researchers; the greater thetions in molecular biology and genetics, amounting to

number, the more influential the research. Aboutapproximately 280,000. Not only is this the highest in

900,000 medical papers published by universities or

the Asia Pacific but it outperforms the second-placeresearch institutes in Tokyo have been cited duringcity by a margin of 100,000 or so citations.

the last ten years (2006 to 2015), making Tokyo theNo.1 city in the Asia Pacific region. This is testimony

The quantities of papers and citations notwith-to the many outstanding medical researchers instanding, Tokyo also excels in quality, engaging inTokyo.

some of the world’s most advanced research.
Some outstanding examples are introduced in the

In fact, Tokyo has 12 renowned research institutes
which have produced one or more of the world’s 300
most frequently cited papers in seven medical-relatedareas.

following pages.

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02 As an Academic Hub

10

02 As an Academic Hub
Outstanding Achievements
in Medicine
Use of 3D Printers for Medical Treatment
Working with Tokyo-based corporations, the University ofTokyo Hospital has succeeded in combining 3D printertechnology with genetic engineering to establish theworld’s first technique to mass-produce, in a short time,
artificial skin, bones, and joints that can be transplanted in
the human body. Research is underway toward clinicalapplication in 2020.

Regenerative Medicine Using iPS Cells
Keio University and a venture startup are developing a newtreatment approach to spinal cord injuries which combines
induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS) therapy with HAL, arobotic assistance suit. Both iPS regenerative therapy andthe HAL suit were developed in Japan, and the joint researchteam aims to capitalize on these uniquely Japanesestrengths to help patients suffering from debilitating
spinal-cord injuries.

Drug Development Utilizing Supercomputers
The Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology
at the University of Tokyo harnesses the power of the supercomputer to design genomic antibody preparations for thetreatment of recurrent or metastatic cancer. These preparations work by artificially producing antibodies that are otherwise generated by the body’s immune response, and are
believed to cause fewer adverse effects than other medicines.
This is but one example of the many applications of Japan’s
renowned supercomputer technology.

Excellence in Scienceand Engineering
Sophisticated Robot Engineering
The “lab-on-a-chip” cell culturing device, in which a 1-cmsquare chip with 100 microwells is used for iPS cell culture,is one medical application of microrobotics successfully
developed in 2013 by the University of Tokyo’s Graduate
School of Information Science and Technology.
Ongoing, vigorous research in microrobotics has muchpromise for various fields of medical care.

Theoretical Physics Led by Nobel Laureates
The University of Tokyo has been a towering giant intheoretical physics.
In 2002, Dr. Masatoshi Koshiba was awarded the Nobel
Prize in Physics for his detection of cosmic neutrinos with
the Kamiokande underground detector. In 2015, Dr. Takaaki
Kajita, who studied under Dr. Koshiba, won the Nobel Prizefor his discovery of neutrino oscillations.

First in Asia for Aerospace Sciences
Many exceptional space engineering research institutes are
based in Tokyo, making the city the decisive No. 1 in Asia in
the number of research paper citations in this field.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) boasts a
particularly stellar series of achievements. JAXA’s Asteroid
Explorer Hayabusa brought back samples from a celestial
body other than the moon for the first time in the history ofhumankind. The scientific role played by JAXA is indeed
enormous; the samples will provide a key to elucidating theearly phases of asteroid formation.

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02 As an Academic Hub

12

02 As an Academic Hub

Fuel of the Future is Soon a Reality
With Japan’s heavy dependence on fossil fuels, hydrogen energy shows promise as a viable
alternative energy source for the future.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, hydrogen-derived energy will be supplied tothe athletes’ village, serving as a showcase of a true hydrogen society. To facilitate thetransition to the new energy source, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is promoting research
activities and educational campaigns targeting businesses and the general public.

World Leading Disaster Prevention Research

To combat the recent threat of sudden, torrential

The University of Tokyo’s Earthquake Research

localized downpours known as “guerrilla rain-

Institute has a long history of outstanding work instorms,” the National Institute of Information andseismology and disaster prevention.

Communications Technology is developing systems

Neutrino oscillation tomography is one such areafor high-speed, high-precision thundercloud detection.

of research which is gaining much attention from

These systems will improve the effectiveness ofaround the world. The technique, which enables

disaster-prevention measures such as warnings,

the observation of magma chambers and the internal

evacuation guidance, and traffic restrictions, andstructure of volcanoes, is expected to be widely

help reduce the damage caused by these rogue

applicable to other fields of research, fromweather conditions.

monitoring of atomic reactors to astrophysics.

Initiatives Underway in Other Academic Areas

In April 2016, the Research Center for Hydrogen Energy-based Society wasestablished in the Tokyo Metropolitan University. The Center will explore
and propose systems for hydrogen utilization, including supply chains andinfrastructure.
Another propulsive movement is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s
opening of the “Tokyo Suisomiru” (Hydrogen Mill) in July 2016. This facility
will serve as a center for transmitting information about hydrogen energy.

Advanced AI Smarter than University Students

The National Institute of Informatics is working onamong domestic and international scientists as

re-integrating the various fields relating towell as to promote collaboration of academia andartificial intelligence which have been narrowly

industry. The Institute is expected to play asegmented since the 1980s. One project is tocentral role in AI research in Japan.

develop an AI robot program capable of passing
the entrance exam for the University of Tokyo,
considered to be the most difficult one of its kindin Japan, by 2021. As of 2015, the AI program

Domestic
researcher

Overseas
researcher

has passed the standardized National Center
Test for University Admissions with higher than
average marks, making it smart enough to get
into many Japanese universities.

AIST

Artificial Intelligence
Research Center

In 2015, the National Institute of Advanced
Industrial

ScienceandTechnology(AIST)

established the Artificial Intelligence ResearchCenter to encourage interaction and networks

Academic

Industry

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03 As an Industrial Hub

14

03 As an Industrial Hub
Industrial Aggregation Equivalent
to an Entire Developed Country
The Greater Tokyo Area leads all metropolitan areas of the world in economic size. In fact, its GDP is equivalent
to that of a developed country like Canada or Australia. Metropolitan Tokyo (under the public administration of
the Tokyo Metropolitan Government) alone has a GDP comparable to Turkey, making it 18th in the world.

Country GDP Rankings and where Tokyo stands
Rank

Country

GDP (Bil USD)

Rank

Country

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

United States
China
Japan
Germany
United Kingdom
FranceBrazil
Italy
India
RussiaCanada$17,348$10,430$4,596$3,874$2,991$2,833$2,417$2,141$2,042$2,029$1,783

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Greater Tokyo
Australia
Korea
Spain
MexicoIndonesia
Netherlands
TurkeyTokyo
Saudi Arabia
Switzerland

GDP (Bil USD)

$1,616$1,441$1,410$1,383$1,297
$890
$880
$798
$788
$753
$701

Source: “World Economy Outlook 2013 ”, IMF; “Global Metro Monitor 2015”, Brookings Institution; “Report on Tokyo’s Accounts for Fiscal
2013”, Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Industrial Strengths of Tokyo
Many domestic and foreign pharmaceutical and medical device
manufacturers are in Tokyo.
Tokyo has the highest aggregation of medical companies amongmajor Asian cities.
See page 16
More than 100 financial companies are headquartered in Tokyo.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange has the world’s second-largest market
volume.
See page 17

About 300 public-listed IT companies have their headquarters inTokyo, and their total market value amounts to approximately USD
500 billion.
They account for the majority of the Japanese IT industry’s GDP.
See page 18
Many Japanese manufacturers, Japan’s strongest industry, andnumerous major companies have their headquarters in Tokyo.
Tokyo is also home to many small- and medium-sized
manufacturers. Having high skills, they are global players.
See page 19

Base for 1,900 Companies’ Headquarters

A company’s market value not only shows its current

exceptionally high among cities in Asia and demon-

performance, but also reflects its expected growthstrates how favorably the market looks upon Tokyo’srate. A large market value therefore indicates aleading companies.

strong bottom line and a promising future.

The aggregation of corporate headquarter functions

About 1,900 listed companies have their head-means that visionary decision makers eager to invest

quarters in Tokyo, and their total market value

in new and important opportunities are present inamounts to approximately USD 3,000 billion. This islarge numbers in Tokyo.

Number of Listed Companies and their Total Market Value
The total market value of companies in Tokyo is 1.8 times larger than that of Hong Kong, three times that of
Shanghai, and seven times that of Singapore.

Tokyo
Shanghai

300 $ 1,050

Companies

Bil

1,900 $ 3,040
BilCompanies

Singapore

700

Companies$

Hong Kong450
Bil1,300 $ 1,740

Companies

Bil

Source: “Company Database”, Thomson Reuters (June 2016)

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03 As an Industrial Hub

16

03 As an Industrial Hub
High Concentration of Japaneseand Foreign Pharmaceuticaland Medical Device Manufacturers
Astellas Pharma, Otsuka Holdings, Daiichi Sankyo,

Over 50 of these companies are listed, and their total

Eisai, Olympus, Terumo, and FUJIFILM. These aremarket value amounts to USD 190 billion, the highest

but a few examples of the global pharmaceutical andby far of any city in Asia.

medical device companies with headquarters or R&D
centers in Tokyo.

Total Market Value of Medical Companies

Remarkable Accomplishments
0Astellas Pharma, with an impressive track record of drug
development including anticancer agents, acquired a
U.S. ocular regenerative medicine venture in November
2015 to make its first foray into the regenerative medicine
business.
Eisai, known for having developed the world’s first
dementia drug, Aricept, has other promising antidementia
candidates in the pipeline whose development is eagerly
awaited.
Camera giant Olympus succeeded in the production of
the world’s first practical gastric camera. The company
now holds the top share of 70% in the world’s digestive
endoscopy market.

(USD 1 million)
50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000

Tokyo
BeijingShanghaiHong Kong
Seoul
Taipei
Kuala Lumpur
Singapore
Bangkok
Melbourne
SydneySource: “Company Database”, Thomson Reuters (June 2016)

Headquarters of Over 100 Financial Firms

Japan’s three mega-banks (The Bank of Tokyo-

transactions undertaken there. The Tokyo Stock

Mitsubishi UFJ, Mizuho Bank, and Sumitomo Mitsui

Exchange, one of the world’s three biggest stock

Banking Corporation) and Nomura Securities, themarkets along with the New York and London Stocknation’s leading securities firm, are all headquartered

Exchanges, has the world’s second-largest totalin Tokyo. Many other financial institutions, domestic

market value. The financial functions of Japan, theand foreign alike, have their bases in Tokyo as well.

world’s third largest economy, are concentrated inSince Tokyo is the capital city and the center ofTokyo.

finance, there is an impressive amount of financial

Total Market Value of Stock Markets
0(USD 1 billion)
1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000

Tokyo
Stock Exchange
Shanghai
Stock Exchange
Hong Kong
Stock Exchange
Korea Exchange

Singapore Exchange
Source: World Federation of Exchanges and each of the stock markets (February 2016)

Tokyo: A world-class financial hub
In addition to 38 Japanese banks, all of the 53 foreign banks in Japan have their head offices in Tokyo. This isindicative of the attention Tokyo commands from financial institutions around the world, and the global impact of
the economic activities undertaken in the city.
Japan’s top three banks headquartered in Tokyo have total assets which place them among the 20 largest banks
in the world. In fact, as of March 2016, the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Japan’s biggest commercial bank, isthe world's largest bank as a private entity by total assets.
Tokyo works actively to attract international conferences on finance and has hosted the Annual Meetings of the
IMF and the World Bank Group in 1964 and 2012. Aside from Washington D.C. where they are headquartered,Tokyo and Istanbul are the only two cities in the world to have hosted the Annual Meetings more than once (asof 2016).

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03 As an Industrial Hub

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03 As an Industrial Hub
Presence of More than Halfof Japanese IT Companies
Japan’s robust IT sector is highly concentrated in

All in all, over 300 IT companies have their headTokyo, collectively generating over half of the Japanese

offices in Tokyo, and their total market value amounts

IT industry’s GDP. Major Japanese telecommunication

to approximately USD 500 billion, the largest among

carriers, including the Fortune Global 500 giants NTT

major Asian cities.

Group, KDDI, and SoftBank, are all headquartered inTokyo.

Japanese IT Industry GDP per prefecture

Aichi
5%

Others25%

Total Market Value of IT Companies per City0200,000

400,000(USD 1 million)
600,000

Tokyo
Beijing

Kanagawa
5%

ShanghaiHong Kong
Seoul

Osaka
11%

Tokyo
54%

Taipei
Kuala Lumpur
Singapore
Bangkok
Melbourne
SydneySource: “Economic Census, the Ministry of Economy”,
Trade and Industry

Source: Summarized by NRI based on “Company Database”,
Thomson Reuters (June 2016)

Aggressive Monozukuri Industry
to Take on the World
Monozukuri, or highly sophisticated manufacturing,countries in that it is home not just to these giants but

is a hallmark of Japan, and Tokyo has the giant’s

to many small and medium-sized manufacturers as

share of world-famous manufacturing firms. These

well. Although modest in size, these companies

include Honda Motor and Sony, which have head

have their own R&D capabilities or highly honed

offices in the city, as well as major bases for Toyota

technologies which make their products globally

Motor, Panasonic, and other market leaders notcompetitive.

headquartered in Tokyo. Needless to say, the presence

Collectively, these companies represent the Mono-of such companies provides ample opportunities forzukuri excellence of Japan as well as the spirituality,

contact with key industry individuals.

tradition, and history of the engineers and crafts-

Notably, Tokyo is unique among capitals in developed

people who support it.

Initiatives by “Global Niche Top Companies Selection 100” enterprises
The companies below are just a few of the excellent smaller businesses in Tokyo, creating niche products with
their unique technologies and enjoying high market shares.

EKO INSTRUMENTS Inc.
EKO INSTRUMENTS manufactures precision measuring devices
and is particularly well-known for instruments to analyze the performance of solar cells. The company was the first in the world to develop
technology enabling high-precision measurements in outdoor
conditions, resulting in a dominant share in the global market. EKO’s
one and only technology supports the universal spread of solar power
generation.

LAC Corporation
LAC provides unique solutions for radically time- and money-saving
printing on vehicles, aircraft, machines, buildings, bottles, cylinders,and other curved or uneven surfaces. The company’s technology letsclients do away with conventional wrapping film, while the special
paint allows for frequent design changes. The Auto Body Printer is agodsend for trucking and bus companies.

MIZUHO Corporation
MIZUHO’s Sugita Aneurism Clips are known and trusted throughout
the world, giving surgeons the means to address the rigors andnuances of aneurysm surgery. The clips prevent aneurysm rupture
which leads to subarachnoid hemorrhage. The clips are also
compatible with MRI systems.

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04 Plans for the Future

20

04 Plans for the Future

Tokyo’s status as a fully grown city does not stand inand universities, have emerged as significant new

the way of its ambitions for even more growth andindustries. The vigorous metabolism prompts existing

evolution, capitalizing on the advantages of being theindustries to produce even higher added value innation’s academic and industrial hub. Numerous

their products and services. The dynamic, powerful

ventures and startups, spun off from corporate giants

evolution of Tokyo continues toward the future.

Aggregation of:

Initiatives and outcomes:

Financial institutions

Global Financial Center Project

Pharmaceutical companies

Life Sciences Project

ICT enterprises

Rise of IT ventures

Universities and research institutes

Various university ventures

Monozukuri in healthcare
Monozukuri businesses
Growth of robotics industry

Leaning Towards Further Evolution

Global Financial Center Project
Already a major hub of finance in Asia with the presence ofmany banks and securities firms, Tokyo is on its way to
becoming an even stronger magnet for international
capital: a global financial center on a par with London and
New York.
To achieve this vision, multifaceted efforts are underway
which include high-level financial education programs forhuman resource development, tax incentives for global
companies, and better housing and living programs to
attract highly specialized foreign professionals from theglobal market.
The local government also promotes investment inpromising offshore projects to stimulate the flow of currency
within and outside Japan, enhancing the appeal of theTokyo market.

Life Sciences Project
To turn Tokyo into an international hub for life sciences anddrug discovery – this is the plan for the Nihombashi andTokyo Station area, where many life science companies
arealready

headquartered.

Matchmaking

betweenresearch institutions and pharmaceutical companies andattracting respected research scientists by creating a
comfortable and motivating environment are some of theefforts now in progress.
A fund is also being considered to support new research by
venture companies. Conference facilities and other urban
infrastructure projects are being planned to promote close
communication between companies and researchers.
Translating Japan’s world-class medical research outcomes
into viable business opportunities and intellectual property- the future of Tokyo is underway.

T o k y o ’s A c a d e m i c a n d I n d u s t r i a l S t r e n g t h s - Y o u r N e x t D e s t i n a t i o n f o r a S u c c e s s f u l M e e t i n g -21

04 Plans for the Future

22

04 Plans for the Future

Rise of IT ventures
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government helps to incubate
promising startups by providing environments whereentrepreneurs can grow and flourish.
Particularly noteworthy is the recent proliferation of IT
ventures in the context of the robust IT sector, brought
about by the technological breakthroughs of the 2000s andthe large population of highly skilled IT experts and brilliant
university graduates converging in the city.
Shibuya, famous for its busy “Scramble” intersection, hasbeen dubbed “Bit Valley” for its Silicon Valley-like status. In
addition to the “Bit” standing for digital data, the moniker is
an English language pun on the area’s name, as “shibu”
means “bitter” in Japanese. Shibuya is seeing the birth ofhundreds of IT startups and is a veritable fountain of new
ideas.

University-born Ventures
We have already seen how Tokyo is an academic hub withnumerous universities. Now, many of these universities
are giving birth to ventures which capitalize on their R&D
capabilities.
Some examples are Euglena Co., Ltd., which isdeveloping biofuel using euglena, a type of algae, andPeptiDreamInc.,

engagedinpeptide-based

drug

discovery. These are university ventures now listed on thefirst section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. A robot venture,
SCHAFT, which bested the likes of NASA in a
Pentagon-hosted competition, now belongs to Google.
Tokyo offers an exciting, dynamic, competitive environment
where students with talent and motivation can pursue their
dreams and set up new enterprises.

Leaning Towards Further Evolution

Monozukuri in Healthcare
Unique among capital cities of developed countries, Tokyo
has a vigorous manufacturing sector, consisting not only of
giant market leaders but also of many small to mid-sizedbusinesses which, despite their modest size, engage inhigh-level Monozukuri, or sophisticated manufacturing.
Their one and only technologies are the foundation for thenation’s mainstream industries such as electronic
machines and automobiles.
To tap into this unique strength, the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government has launched the “Medicine Manufacturing
Cooperation HUB Agency” to promote the development of
medical devices by bridging the technological seeds ofsmall to mid-sized enterprises and the needs of the
medical front lines.

A Burgeoning Robotics Industry
The high-level technological and engineering expertisemake Japan in general, and Tokyo in particular, a perfectplace for a growing robotics industry.
In the past, robots were mainly used for industrial manufacturing. However, future growth of robotics will be in“service robots” which assist us in our day to day lives.
To promote a flourishing robotics industry in Tokyo, theMetropolitan Government opened the “Tokyo Robot
Industry Support Plaza” to serve as a matchmaking basebetween universities with the state-of-the-art researchoutcomes and private companies capable of developing
robots with their manufacturing technology.

T o k y o ’s A c a d e m i c a n d I n d u s t r i a l S t r e n g t h s - Y o u r N e x t D e s t i n a t i o n f o r a S u c c e s s f u l M e e t i n g -23Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau
Nisshin Bldg. 6F, 346-6 Yamabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0801, Japan
Phone : +81-3-5579-2684 Fax : +81-3-5579-2685

businesseventstokyo.org