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Speech at 14 EU Chambers of Commerce Joint Event, Tokyo, March 29, 2016

March 29, 2016

Governor Masuzoe spoke to the European Business Council in Tokyo about the current and future changes to the city’s business environment. In his presentation, he shared his commitment to making Tokyo the most business-friendly city in the world.

“There has never been a better time to invest in Tokyo. I believe that, thanks to a range of initiatives we now have in place, the city has never been more business-friendly than it is right now. And as part of our 10-year vision to transform Tokyo into a leading financial center and investment hub, we are committed to making this city an even easier place for international enterprises to thrive.”

The Governor outlined three key ways in which he is committed to making Tokyo the most business-friendly city in the world. The first is to offer market entry support and advice to businesses new to Tokyo.

“For foreign start-ups, one of the key benefits of Tokyo’s National Strategic Special Zone status is our One-Stop Business Establishment Center in Akasaka. The center offers free bilingual advice to international entrepreneurs, and integrates eight separate procedures to cut the time it takes to establish a business in Tokyo from twenty days to four, on par with Singapore.”

The second step in his vision is to better position Tokyo as a regional and global hub to generate exciting new investment opportunities. “We believe three sectors offer the most promise for international firms—healthcare, IT electronics, and environmental businesses—including smart and green energy.”

Lastly, the Governor spoke of how the city is focusing on education and quality of life to make it easier for companies to hire the best talent and grow their businesses in Tokyo. “This coming financial year, we are devoting more resources to cultivating young people with the language skills and international mindset to effectively compete in the global workforce—and encouraging private businesses to do the same.”

Governor Masuzoe also highlighted some of the opportunities that the approaching 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will bring, and spoke in detail about initiatives to turn Tokyo into a truly mature global city.