Support Achievements of the Kansai Medical Device Industry
Support Network
AWAJITEC（Sumoto City, Hyogo Prefecture）
Dialysis Bleeding Sensors 『Bleeding Sensors 』

Nimbari Kousakusho Co.,Ltd.
（Higashi-Osaka City, Osaka）
Medical Aspirator『COOPDECH BYRON』＜development system＞＜development system＞

AWAJITEC

Nimbari
Kousakusho Co.,Ltd.

（manufacturer）

Hospitals inKansai region（medical institutions）

Nikkiso Co., Ltd.
（manufacturerand distributor）

The New Industry
Research Organization（manufacturer）

Higashi Osaka City
Daiken Iki
Industrial and creationCorporation.
Workers Support Organization （manufacturer（Supporting Organizations）and distributor）（Supporting Organizations）＜Development History＞
2000: Developed a sensor to detect diaper wetness
2007: A hospital in the Kansai region, which had heard about
AWAJITEC through its "urine pads with a sensor" that alerted
people to wet diapers with sound and light, asked AWAJITEC
to develop a new product for them.
2009: Product completion and sales (sheet type)
Exhibit at the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy
2016: Adopted as a subsidized project by The New Industry
Research Organization. Started development of a newproduct that can sense even smaller quantities. Completionand sales of new products (tape type)2019: Collaboration with Nikkiso Co., Ltd., major dialysis
equipment manufacturer. Currently delivered to 300
hospitals nationwide＜Development History＞
1990: Daiken Iki Corporation launches the world's first "Fit-Fix,"
which combines a suction device and coagulant in one unit.
2018: Daiken Iki Corporation began development of animproved version of "Fit-Fix”.
2019: Nimbari Kousakusho Co.,Ltd. and Daiken Iki
Corporation were matched through a medicalindustrial collaboration project promoted by HigashiOsaka City and have formed a partnership.
2020: Completion and sale of an improved version of COOPDECH
BYRON
Total annual sales of 6 million units in 13 countries

21

Promotion of manufacturing in the biotechnology field
Conducting feasibility studies
We conducted an interview survey of universities, research institutes,
and companies, in order to understand the current status of companies
and universities involved in manufacturing-related technologies in thebiotechnology field in the Kansai region, and to discover leading
examples and promising technologies.

Webinar on the field of bio-manufacturing
The Webinar was held for promoting
initiatives aimed at the practicalapplication and commercialization of
manufacturing-related technologies in thebiotechnology field and dissemination andeducation to the community based on
precedents and promising technologies
agenda March 16, 2022
organizer METI-KANSAI, BiocK,LINK-J

22

METI-Kansai's Policy for Promoting Carbon Neutrality⚫ We promote carbon neutral (CN) initiatives that lead to sustainable corporate
growth toward the realization of a carbon neutral society in 2050.
⚫ We strengthen support systems within the bureau and deepen cooperation
with local governments, related organizations, and companies to promote CN
responses by businesses and other entities within our jurisdiction.
【 Examples of majorcollaborations】【Targets by stage of CN efforts/interests】
Leading company

Large enterpriseCompanies that have worked
on and are working on CN

Localgovernment※ Refer to the results of the survey
conducted in FY2021 for 222 municipalities
in the KANSAI region.

Companies that agree with the objectives of CN andwish to strengthen their efforts

Companies with no or little CNefforts and little interest▶Local governments that are highlyinterested in CN and are
implementing distinctive initiatives▶Local governments consideringinitiatives that contribute to CN

SME

Relatedorganization▶Chamber of Commerce, industrial
support organizations, financial
institutions, industry associations▶ KANSAI Decarbonization Teamby the KANSAI Regional
Environment Office and othernational agencies【 In cooperation with each entity, we will link each activity to the next and further expand CN efforts. 】
3． Strengthening the network
1．Promoting
２． Supporting Businesses(1) Grassroots dissemination activities regarding CN(e.g., CN trends, data, penetration of introductory
information)(2) Briefings and seminars according to the stage of thetarget initiatives(e.g., introduction of precedents, consultation services)(3) PR in cooperation with local governments and relatedorganizations(e.g., dissemination of challenging CN initiatives in theregion, dissemination of information to theindustrial, transportation, and consumer sectors)(1) Promote the use of CN-related support measures forcompanies(e.g., CN taxation system, SME policies)(2) Identification of entrants based on the needs andwants of the companies(e.g., support for creation of new businesses and modelcases)(3) Business matching that contributes to CN(e.g., support for facilitating inter-company collaborationand cooperation with local governments)(1) Practical collaboration that leverages the strengths ofrelated organizations(e.g., sharing of knowledge and human networks among
institutions, synergies and mutual
complementation through role sharing)(2) Expansion and layering of the base of players
promoting CN(e.g., expansion of Kansai companies and municipalities
working on CN in the industrial, transportation,and consumer sectors; building andstrengthening relationships with relevantorganizations and key persons)23Project to Promote New Entry into Hydrogen Business ①◼ In order to promote
the entry of new small and medium-sized manufacturing companies,business①.

we will hold matching events to share the needs of major hydrogen industry companies in
the Kansai region and build partnerships with local governments and support organizations.

Outline of Project⚫ Conduct promotional and educational activities to foster awareness among small and medium-sized manufacturing
companies and encourage their entry into the hydrogen industry.
⚫ Matching events will be held to provide a venue for small and medium-sized manufacturing companies to identify theneeds of downstream companies and to promote new entrants into hydrogen-related industries.
⚫ In the matching process, establish a support system in collaboration with local governments, support organizations, andacademia, that identifies small and medium-sized manufacturing companies that meet the needs and dispatches experts
to provide technical guidance, etc.

2. Details of Efforts in FY2021⚫ As a preliminary step toward the matching event to be held in FY2022, seminars (3 sessions:presentations of case studies of SMEs participating in hydrogen stations, etc.) and study sessions (4sessions on the use of hydrogen in next-generation mobility, mainly for ships, etc.) were held for SMEs
to promote their participation in the hydrogen field and to expand its utilization.
⚫ We discussed with downstream companies in the hydrogen supply chain, compiled their issues andneeds, and asked them to speak at the matching event.
⚫ A “Introduction to Hydrogen in the Kansai Region" was prepared for small- and medium-sized
manufacturing companies to help newcomers to the hydrogen business, summarizing the current
situation surrounding hydrogen energy and examples of its utilization in the Kansai region.

24

Project to Promote New Entry into Hydrogen Business ②Introduction to Hydrogen in the Kansai Region
An introductory book was published to introduce hydrogen to as many people as possible,
especially targeting companies, universities, local governments, and regional industrial
support organizations that have not yet entered the hydrogen field.
Concept
An introductory book for those who want to enter thehydrogen field in the Kansai region.
For those who want to know basic information about hydrogen
For those who want to enter the hydrogen business
Those who want to utilize hydrogen as energy...etc.
Contents
Basic information on hydrogen (national policy, current status ofhydrogen utilization, etc.)
Examples of demonstration projects in the Kansai region,
examples of small and medium-sized enterprises, etc.
Examples of Efforts by Local Governments, Support
Organizations, etc.
■ Format
Entire edition (20 pages in A4) Electronic version only *to beprinted in the future
Summary version (A3, both sides) Electronic and paper version

25

Project to Promote New Entry into Hydrogen Business ③
３．Surrounding circumstances in project implementation⚫ The following large-scale projects are underway in the Kansai region. Downstream
companies are seeking Japanese companies to develop and procure materials andparts for the commercialization phase (around 2030).
① Hydrogen transportation from overseas (GI Fund Business：HySTRA（IWATANI INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. etc.))
Demonstration of technology to produce hydrogen from lignite coal in Australia,transport it by liquefied hydrogen carrier, and unload it at Kobe Airport Island.
② Hydrogen-fueled power generation (GI Fund Business: JERA Co., Inc., The
Kansai Electric Power Company, Inc., ENEOS Holdings, Inc. etc.)
Combustors developed for hydrogen power generation are implemented in
actual power plants to verify combustion stability, etc.
③ Study on Liquefied Hydrogen Technology Center (NEDO Project)
Research on performance evaluation tests of equipment for liquefiedhydrogen with the aim of establishing international standards for liquefiedhydrogen.
⚫ Although local governments are promoting needs study sessions and matchingefforts, the number of new entrants that are small and medium-sized
manufacturing firms remains low.
※ Examples of hydrogen-related promotion meetings by local governments：【Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, Sakai City】 H2OSAKA Vision Promotion Conference【Hyogo prefecture】 Hyogo Hydrogen Society Promotion Council【Kyoto prefecture】 Kyoto Prefecture Hydrogen Society Future Project Review Meeting【Kobe City】 Kobe Hydrogen Cluster Study Group26

Project to Promote New Entry into Hydrogen Business ③
４．Business Plan for FY2022 and Future Direction⚫ We will conduct public relations activities such as holding seminars for small andmedium-sized manufacturing companies, local governments, and support
organizations to promote the entry of small and medium-sized manufacturing
companies into the hydrogen industry.
⚫ We will hold our first matching event in late June, co-hosted with the Small andMedium Enterprise Corporation. After that, we will continue to hold this event a
total of three times during the fiscal year.
⚫ We will go around to local governments, support organizations, and academia in
our jurisdiction and invite them to participate in supporting small and mediumsized manufacturing companies to enter the hydrogen industry and expand thecircle of collaboration.
⚫ We will continue to uncover needs by visiting downstream companies, which willlead to the next matching event.

27

Establishment of Kansai Storage Battery Human Resource
Development Consortium
In the Storage Battery Industry Strategy (final version) formulated on August 31, 2022, the target was set to develop andsecure a total of 22,000 human resources for battery manufacturing and 30,000 for the entire supply chain, including
materials towards establishing a domestic manufacturing capacity of 150 GWh for storage batteries and materials by 2030.
To contribute to the realization of this goal, the "Kansai Storage Battery Human Resource Development Consortium" wasestablished in the Kansai area, where storage battery-related industries are concentrated, with the participation of industry,
educational institutions, local governments, support organizations, and others.
As the Consortium's secretariat, METI-Kansai will promote initiatives for human resource development together with theBattery Association of Japan (BAJ) and the Battery Association for Supply Chain (BASC).
The Consortium plans to discuss and examine initiatives
to be taken to introduce educational curricula attechnical high schools and technical colleges, andeducational programs at supporting institutions such as
AIST, with a focus on the Kansai area, by FY2024.

Members of Kansai Storage Battery Human ResourceDevelopment Consortium(As of August 31)■The Industry■Educational Institution■Local government andsupport organizations

Prefecture (Fukui, Shiga,Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo,Nara Wakayama)
Ordinance-designated city
(Kyoto, Osaka, Sakai,Kobe)

Industry ・Clarification of required

human resources
・Cooperation in curriculum
development

Academia・Curriculum
development
and education

LocalGovernmentand support
organizations

・Considerationof necessarysupport

National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science andTechnology

Secretariat: METI-Kansai, BAJ, BASC
※Members may be added in the future.

2828

Concept of METI Kansai’s venture business support(start-up support)【 horizontal axis 】 We promote the creation of an environment and momentum thatfacilitates the birth of startups and promote new businesses and startups.
【 vertical axis 】 We support the growth of startups from the Kansai region to emerge asJapan's leading startups.
【 axis of revolution 】 We are committed to making Kansai a region where entrepreneurs
can continue to be entrepreneurs, and where it is easy for them to take on new challenges.
【 Information dissemination 】 We disseminate information on startups and the venture
ecosystem in the Kansai region, including information and support for startups throughindustry-academia-government collaboration.

horizontal axis Startup
Business Growth Support【 Informationdissemination 】
PromotingStartups in Kansai
region Ecosystem【】Startupsin Kansairegion【 axis of revolution 】
Creating an environment
conducive to metabolism【 vertical axis 】 Foster momentum and create an environment to promote
new businesses and start-ups29

Specific efforts to support startups (support for venturecompanies)

J-Startup KANSAI
Selecting promising startups from theKansai region.
Public-private partnerships to supportleaps forward for selected companies.

Kansai Venture
Supporters Conference
Information on startups in
the Kansai region and Information
on startups throughindustry-academia-government
collaboration in the Kansai region

Atotsugi Venture Project

Venturein Kansai
regionLadies’ entrepreneur
discussions
Formed a platform with relatedorganizations working to support women
entrepreneurs and promoted the " Ladies’
entrepreneur discussions " including
business plan presentations.

U30 Kansai
Entrepreneur
Community
Closed online community ofentrepreneurs under 30 in Kansai.
Offers entrepreneurs the chance tomeet people they need to meet.

Supporting "venture-type businesssuccession," in which young successors
take on challenges in new areas andcreate new value for society

Kansai Reborn
Entrepreneur Support
To reduce the fear of entrepreneurial
failure, create an environment thatmakes it easier for entrepreneurs who
have failed in their businesses to tryagain (close down or start up again)

30

J-Startup KANSAI～ Development of a regional version of the J-Startup startup support program ～⚫ J-Startup was launched in June 2018 to provide intensive support in the public andprivate sectors to assist the creation of global startups. J-Startup companies wereselected based on recommendations from outside experts. (188 companies nationwide
and 17 companies in the Kansai region have been selected）⚫ In 2020 31 startups were selected as J-Startup KANSAI companies, followed by 10
more in 2021, to serve as role models originating in the Kansai region. METI-KANSAI
disseminates information on these companies domestically and internationally, andsupports them throughout the region.
⚫ METI-KANSAI supports the selected companies to make breakthroughs through publicprivate partnership in conjunction with the Startup Ecosystem Center Formation
Project of the Cabinet Office, which is a related measure.

Supporting

J-Startup
KANSAI

Supporting
民の援Support by the govt.
Establishing apriority quota orpoint system whenutilizing municipal
policies

Several types of support
Cooperation
andAdministrative offices: requesting
METI-KANSAI,
assistancelocal governments,
support organizations,etc.

Support by VCs,accelerators, andcompanies
supporter31