April 16, 2015

Press Release
To Members of the Osaka Economic Press Club
(cc: Osaka Prefectural Government Press Club, Osaka Municipal Government Press Club)

Joint release by the Osaka Prefectural Government, Osaka Municipal Government
and Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI)Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC)
Achievements in FY 2014
[Contact]
Ms. Liang and Ms. Fujita
Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC)(International Division, OCCI)TEL: 06-6944-6298

I. About the Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC)○ The Osaka Business & Investment Center (O-BIC) was established in 2001 jointly by the Osaka
Prefectural Government, Osaka Municipal Government and the OCCI as a one-stop support
center to promote foreign direct investment in Osaka (Secretariat: International Division, OCCI).

II. Overview of activities in FY 2014 ~A highest record of 38 investments this FY~○ In 2014, O-BIC attempted to attract foreign investment through cooperation between public andprivate entities by tying up with Osaka International Business Promotion Center and JETRO
Osaka. Efforts from the government to strengthen promotion of investment in Japan, coupled withtailwinds in the form of a depreciating yen helped O-BIC post a highest record of 38 investments in
one year ever since its inception.
○ As part of FY2014 activities, O-BIC serviced 113 inquiries by giving out market information andproviding advisory information for company setup. Further, taking advantage of the country's firstever [Zero Local Tax] tax incentive for Kansai Innovation International Strategic Comprehensive
Special Zone, O-BIC placed emphasis on new energy and life sciences industries and also
pro-actively promoted Osaka and Kansai regions among overseas business groups and overseas
companies in Japan and abroad.
○ Further, making effective use of exhibition spaces of promising industry sectors such as newenergy and life sciences, O-BIC approached exhibiting companies, found some companies withpositive interests and offered them extensive services in the form of arranging business meetings
with Osaka companies and offering site visits too.

-1-III. Summary of results in FY 2014
~ Asia continues to contribute 80% of total share, Britain in top 3 for the first time ~○ A closer look at the successful 38 investment cases reveals that 31 of them are from Asian
countries such as China and South Korea, thus ensuring that Asia continues to contribute 80% of
the total share, which is the same as last year. A country/region-wise breakup shows that the top 3
contributors are China (including Hong Kong) with 17 cases, South Korea with 10 cases, and UKwith 4. This is Europe's first entry in the top 3.
○ O-BIC visited Britain in May last year and met individual companies, and also accompanied theOCCI delegation on its 'Economic Mission to Europe' in October and actively promoted Osakaamong the local companies and business groups. As a result, these companies have now opened
offices in Osaka.
○ Sector-wise, the number of service industry companies entering Japan for new market
opportunities was remarkably high, while Asian companies from countries such as China stood out
for the purpose of exporting technologically and qualitatively superior Japanese products to theirhome countries.
○ Ever since O-BIC was established in 2001, a total of 380 companies have made investments inthese 14 years, and on a cumulative basis, the top 3 countries in terms of investing companies
have been China (including Hong Kong) with 131 cases, South Korea with 66 cases and USA with40 cases.

O-BIC No. of investing companies(cumulative)
New investments

Cumulative investments(Attachments and reference documents)① Major promotional success stories in FY 2014
② O-BIC Investments Overview Matrix for FY 2014-2-

Reference document 1

Major promotional success stories in FY 2014

 Promising/listed Asian companies which opened their first Japanese
offices in Osaka➤➤➤Companies which have entered the Japanese market for the first time, with the purpose ofstrengthening sales with their Osaka partners and to find market opportunities in Japan.
 Japan DunAn International Company
Parent company: DunAn Environment, the flagship business for one of the top 500 Chinese companies,
DunAn group (Listed Company)
Nature of business: Development, manufacture and sale of air conditioner functional components
 Zhongshan Broad-Ocean Motor Osaka Branch
HQ: Zhongshan Broad-Ocean Motor Co., Ltd., one of the top 100 privatecompanies in Guangdong Province, China (Listed Company)
Nature of business: Development, manufacturing and sale of special motors and transmission systems
for electric vehicles
 AN PHUOC JAPAN Co., Ltd
Parent company: An Phuoc Co., Ltd, Vietnam's leading apparelmaker company owning brands. Also a well-known OEM for overseas brands.
Nature of business: OEM for apparel Japanese and British advanced technology companies building up
presence in Umeda area➤➤➤British companies possessing advanced hardware and software technology have partnered withOsaka company (KAHM Japan Ltd) to establish a presence at the Grand Front Osaka, which is the'Knowledge Capital' of Osaka.

 Nomad Digital Japan Office
HQ: Established in 2002. Ranked 52nd among 100
fastest growing British companies
Nature of business: Offering high-speed wirelesscommunication solutions to the railways, busand traffic sectors and improve passenger
comfort Isis Innovation Japan Office
HQ: Britain-based Oxford University, with open
participation
Nature of business: company information,
intellectual property, knowledge transfer
and movement to lab Overseas companies teaching English in Japan are actively expanding➤➤➤In response to the growing need for English learning due to an increase in inflow of tourists and theplanned Olympics/Paralympics, several overseas companies with rich experience in imparting
English training are entering the Japanese market.
 YBM Japan
Parent company: South Korea
Nature of business: Operation of a facility to learn
English through experience◎ Decision to grant (20 million yen) of ‘Osaka Prefecture
Subsidy for foreign-affiliated companies*’.
*Targeting foreign companies setting up a new HQ or Asianbase of operations within Osaka, this system aims to provide
partial assistance to cover companies' investments such as
rentals, on condition that they meet certain criteria in terms ofarea and employment conditions.

 Night Zookeeper Inc.
Parent company: Joint venture
between an English and Japanese companies
Nature of business: English learning program forchildren, educational games, application
development and overall functioningReference document 2

Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC)
Investments Overview Matrix for FY 2014
(April 2014-March 2015)<By-Country/By-Industry at glance>
Cases of new Entry, figures in brackets ( )=FY2013
IT/Bio Tech/
R&D ※

China
Hong Kong

Asia

ServiceTrade

45(1)
1(5)

1
4(1)

Singapore

1(1)Taiwan(2)

Thailand(1)

Vietnam

2

1

4(1)

1
1

1

8(2)

(1)

(12)

3(0)

10(4)

1(1)

1(7)

0(1)

2(1)

(0) 31(26)

1(3)

1(0)

2(3)

4(0)

1(0)

0(1)

(3)(1)

11 (11)0(2)0(2)
1North America Total

0UK

1(0)

1(1)

0(0)

1(2)

0(0)

20(0)

1

Sweden1Italy(1)Europe Total

1(1)

(0)

0(0)

1(0)

0(0)

1(0)

5(1)

Total

2(2) 14 (11)8(2)

13 (13)0(2)1(0) 38(30)※Include evaluation and test performance

2

Total
14(4)

(1)

NorthCanada
AmericaEurope(4)1(1) 11 (10)USA

5Others1

Korea

Asia Total(1)

Import/Sales/Organization
Manufacturings/Agencies/Marketing