SAITAMA PREFECTURE Latest Update: August 2013

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SAITAMA PREFECTURE Latest update: August 2013

Saitama’s Prefecture Flag

Main City: Saitama Population: 7,218, 000 people, ranking 5/47 prefectures (2013) [1] Area: 3,797 km2 [2]

Geographical / Landscape description This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, from which a large amount of residents commute each day. [2]

Climate Saitama has taken first place seven times for the last 10 years in the ranking of prefectures with the highest number of sunny days. [3]

Time zone GMT +7 in summer (+8 in winter)

International dialling code: 0081

Recent history, culture After World War II, as Tokyo expanded rapidly and modern transportation allowed longer commutes, the lack of available land in Tokyo led to the rapid development of Saitama Prefecture, whose population has nearly tripled since 1960. Most of the cities in the prefecture are closely connected to downtown Tokyo by metropolitan rail, and operate largely as residential and commercial suburbs of Tokyo. [2]

Economic overview There are about 15,000 manufacturing business locations in Saitama prefecture, and the prefecture ranks 7th in Japan in the value of manufactured goods shipped. Diverse industries with an accumulation of sophisticated technology flourish in the prefecture, including the metal casting and mould making industries of Kawaguchi City and the optical device and precision machinery industries of the city of Saitama. [4]

Economic Indicators Saitama Prefecture All Japan Population (2013) [1] 7,218,000 127,350,000 Unemployment rate (2012) [5] 4.4% 4.3% GPD (2010) [6] 4% of Japan’s 495 trillion Yen

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Infrastructure

Road/railways The Tohoku, Kanetsu, and Joban Expressways, which extend all over eastern Japan, are linked by the Tokyo Outer Ring Road in Saitama prefecture, which has become a hub of highway transportation. By Shinkansen, bullet train, Tokyo is a 25-minute ride from Saitama. [7]

Living Environment Saitama has few natural disasters such as typhoons. Saitama has the most number of clear days, and is blessed with a green, natural environment, a comfortable work atmosphere and liveability yet is located within the Tokyo metropolitan area. Central government organizations are concentrated in Saitama Shintoshin (New Urban Center), which also has a presence of backup office data centres. [8]

Major types of economic activities

Manufacturing In 2011, the prefecture’s manufacturing industry's shipment value was principally composed of transport machinery (15.8%), chemicals (12.5%) and food and related products (11.6%). [9]

In Saitama City, precision machinery and equipment manufacturers make up the majority of the value of manufacturing, and out of them, shipments value by optical apparatuses and lens rank first in Japan, and its share of 9.7% is also the highest in Japan. [10]

R&D, Innovation, Scientific research Saitama is home to many small and medium sized R&D companies and research institutes of large corporations with a high level of technology seeking to become global leaders. Those companies have been labelled as Saitama-Excellent Companies.

Saitama International Business Support Center (SBSC) supports interaction between R&D companies through initiatives from company tours to joint exhibition booths. The SBSC matches foreign companies visiting Japan with local entities, and levels the playing field for one-on-one matching with research institutes of large corporations, universities, embassies and other organizations. [11]

Opportunities for EU Investors / Exporters / Importers

Promising sectors for cooperation Long-established industries: transport equipment, chemicals, food products, information and communication equipment, metal products. [4]

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Financial/logistic support *Industrial location promotion subsidy (subsidization of part of the paid real estate acquisition tax for land rental or acquirement) *Industrial location promotion loan for building a new plant or distribution centre *Free consultation service on trade, investment, etc. *Support for finding customers *Recruiting support *Business networks of potential partner companies *Information on business locations, business seminars and lectures, business matching *Networks of law offices, tax accountants, patent agents, marketing consultants, PR companies and other services and specialists skilled in international business *Various support provided by the Industry-Academia Collaboration Support Center Saitama

More information:http://www.saitama-j.or.jp/sbsc/index_english.php http://www.saitama-j.or.jp/sangaku/eng http://www.saitamacity-business.jp/eng/index_eng.html

Setting up a business in Saitama Saitama International Business Support Center (SBSC) Sonic City Bldg. 10F, 1-7-5 Sakuragi-cho, Omiya Ward, Saitama 330-8669 TEL: +81(0)48-647-4156 FAX: +81(0)48-645-3286 http://www.saitama-j.or.jp/sbsc/index_english.php

Other contacts:

Saitama Prefecture http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/site/english-top/ Industry-Academia Collaboration Support Center Saitama http://www.saitama-j.or.jp/sangaku/eng Saitama City http://www.saitamacity-business.jp/eng/index_eng.html Saitama Prefecture Tourism Association http://www.sainokuni-kanko.jp/eng/

Sources and footnotes

[1] http://www.stat.go.jp/data/jinsui/2.htm [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saitama_Prefecture [3] http://www.sainokuni-kanko.jp/eng/about.html [4] http://www.JETRO.go.jp/en/invest/region/saitama/ [5] http://www.stat.go.jp/data/roudou/pref/index.htm [6] http://www.esri.cao.go.jp/jp/sna/sonota/kenmin/kenmin_top.html [7] http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/region/saitama/infra.html [8] http://www.saitama-j.or.jp/sbsc/english/why_saitama/index.html [9] http://www.stat.go.jp/data/e-census/2012/sokuho/gaiyo.htm [10] http://www.saitamacity-business.jp/eng/invite002.html [11] http://www.saitama-j.or.jp/sbsc/english/support_programs/index.html

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Mitsumine Shrine in Chichibu City

Traditional store in Kawagoe City

Picture copyright: Wikipedia of public domain and Wikipedia under the GNU Free Documentation License

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