The Osaka Prefectural Government hosted “OPEN!! OSAKA,” a comprehensive press tour showcasing the region’s international business environment and growth strategy. The programme included visits to Kansai International Airport, Osaka Prefecture’s Sakishima office, and Nakanoshima Qross, featuring high-level presentations and an interview session with Governor Yoshimura.
Osaka’s Unique Edge in Global Competition
“We want Osaka to be selected as a unique area, and also we have to create a distinct edge when compared to other major urban areas,” emphasised Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura. The Governor also highlighted how these advantages drive growth across multiple sectors, particularly in life sciences, exemplified by research institutions and medical industry development at Nakanoshima Qross. The region’s strength is further evidenced by robust international tourism, with Kansai Airport handling 18.92 million foreign passengers in 2024.
EXPO 2025: Beyond Economic Impact
While EXPO 2025 is projected to generate a ¥3 trillion economic impact, Governor Yoshimura emphasised its broader purpose, “The Expo in general is not a profit-making project. We are supposed to provide solutions to global challenges and global issues.” The Expo’s wooden ring structure symbolises diversity and unity. “We will have to think about how important human lives are… providing solutions to world issues,” he added.
Manufacturing Powerhouse and Innovation Hub
Osaka’s economic prowess was highlighted by Ms. Mayu Katakabe, Deputy Director General of Commerce, Industry, and Labor. The prefecture boasts 1.5 times more manufacturing establishments than Tokyo and 2.4 times higher shipment values, with particular strength in carbon neutrality and life sciences.
Furthermore, the region leads carbon neutrality initiatives through collaboration among large corporations, SMEs, universities, and research institutes, hosting advanced technology development in hydrogen and storage batteries, including R&D centers for next-generation solid-state batteries. “We aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through cutting-edge technologies and collaboration with private companies,” Katakabe explained.
Building on its heritage as a “town of medicine” and home to major pharmaceutical companies like Takeda and Shionogi, Osaka’s life sciences sector thrives through three major innovation hubs: Saito, Kento, and Nakanoshima Qross. The latter, opened in June 2024, creates a unique ecosystem where medical institutions, research institutes, companies, startups, academia, and the PMDA collaborate under one roof.
Osaka is designated as a global startup hub city, alongside Kyoto and Kobe, and has fostered 128 university-originated startups in Osaka Prefecture. “By promoting cooperation with universities like Kyoto University and Osaka University, we are aiming to produce many active world-class startups from Osaka and Kansai,” Katakabe noted.
Building Global Financial City Osaka
Mr. Tetsuya Sakamoto, Senior Executive Director of Global Financial City Osaka, traced the region’s rich financial heritage: “About 400 years ago, the Nakanoshima area was Japan’s Wall Street, where rice markets, gold exchanges, and financial institutions were concentrated.” This history includes establishing the world’s first futures exchange in 1730.
Governor Yoshimura’s Global Financial City initiative, launched in 2020, aims to develop Osaka as both a global city through finance and a frontrunner in financial innovation. The prefecture offers significant incentives, including zero corporate inhabitant and enterprise taxes for up to 10 years for foreign financial companies.
“By attracting human resources, companies, and funds from home and abroad, we aim to foster next-generation industries through new technologies and innovations,” Sakamoto explained.
Already, 22 financial companies, including BainCapital and Morgan Stanley MUFG, have established operations in Osaka. The prefecture’s designation as a special zone for finance and asset management businesses in June 2024 further reduces entry barriers through regulatory reforms aligned with global standards.
Advanced Medical Innovation at Nakanoshima Qross
Nakanoshima Qross was showcased as the centerpiece of Osaka’s medical innovation during the tour. This groundbreaking hub unites medical institutions, companies, startups, and support organisations under the Future Medicine Promotion Organization’s operation. The facility comprises three integrated centers – the Future Medicine MED Center, Future Medicine R&D Center, and Nakanoshima International Forum – designed to “practice,” “create,” and “share” future medicine.
Dr. Masakazu Yagi and Dr. Kouichi Hasegawa demonstrated cutting-edge healthcare innovations, including an iPS cell-derived cardiomyocyte technology featuring a beating heart tissue patch. The CiRA Foundation’s presentation of automated iPS cell production technology showcased advances that have significantly reduced production costs and time, positioning Osaka at the forefront of regenerative medicine and genomic medicine.
Gateway to International Visitors
Kansai International Airport’s Terminal 1 Innovation Project, presented by Co-CEO Benoit Rulleau, will expand international passenger capacity from 12 million to 30 million annually. The upgrade includes Japan’s first walkthrough duty-free area and enhanced security systems processing 500 passengers per hour per lane. “We are getting ready for the Expo, not only for the traffic that we’ll have at that time, but also to welcome foreign dignitaries,” Rulleau noted, anticipating visits from prime ministers, government heads, and corporate CEOs.
Osaka’s Vision for Global Leadership
As Japan’s historically open commercial center, Osaka continues its tradition of international engagement while positioning itself as a premier global hub. The prefecture’s comprehensive development approach combines manufacturing prowess, technological innovation, financial services, and infrastructure development into a cohesive ecosystem for global business and innovation.
Why OSAKA? Governor Yoshimura Explains the Five Strategic Advantages
Governor Yoshimura’s presentation detailed Osaka’s five strategic advantages, captured in the acronym “OSAKA”
- OPENNESS: A rich history of international commerce and collaboration
- SMART INVESTMENT: Cost-effective business environment offering affordable office space and high-quality talent compared to other Asian cities
- ACCESSIBILITY: Strategic gateway connecting 76 cities worldwide through a 24/7 international airport
- KEY TO JAPAN: Future growth engine hosting EXPO 2025
- ASSISTANCE: Comprehensive support through the Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC) and one-stop consultation services
