************************************************************************* Issue 13 [May 2007] OCCI e-Magazine http://www.osaka.cci.or.jp/e/index.html ************************************************************************* [CONTENTS, May 2007] 1. Projects in Osaka/Kansai 'SAITO' as a top-level bio-cluster of the World 2. Information on Kansai International Airport For Record-high number of International Flights this Summer 3. Interview with Mr. Dirk Jan Kop, Consul General of the Netherlands 4. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors ========================================================================= 1. Projects in Osaka/Kansai 'SAITO' as a top-level bio-cluster of the World Three years have passed since development of city "SAITO" started in the hill areas across the two cities of Ibaraki and Minoh in the North of Osaka Prefecture. Favored with the goodness of nature in the areas, and with "An International culture park city" as the theme, the development is well on its way. There is more to SAITO than being just a park city, and that is, being the center of bio-medical researches. Osaka has a history of having thrived, since the Edo period (1603-1867), as a center of medicines, and even today, many major pharmaceutical companies have their head offices based and centered in Dosho-machi in the city of Osaka. 18 kilometers away from downtown Osaka, many state-of-the-art research institutes, such as Osaka University, National Cardiovascular Center, etc. are located in or around SAITO. In Japan's nationwide bio-cluster ranking, SAITO has won the 1st rank for two years in a row. With the cooperation of industry-academia-government, the Osaka/Kansai region is aiming for a status of top-level bio-cluster of the world, for which SAITO Life Science Park, with a concentration of bio-medical research institutes and related companies, forms the core. As of the end of April 2007, already 9 facilities or institutes, such as National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, and 30 companies are committed to joining SAITO and further more are expected to follow to fulfill the aim. * Contact: (SAITO Life Science Park) http://www.saito-lsp.jp/english/index.html (SAITO International Culture Park Promotion Council) http://www.saito.tv/e/index.html ======================================================================== 2. Information on Kansai International Airport For Record-high number of International Flights this Summer According to the recent announcement of Kansai International Airport Co., Ltd., they are planning for a record-high number of international flights for this summer reaching 776 flights per week at the peak exceeding both last summer's 711 and 726 flights of winter 2006. Increase of cargo flights to 191 (30 flights more than the last record of winter 2006) is most noticeable enhancing the role of KIA as a hub-airport for international cargoes. The opening of another runway at Kansai International Airport has been announced to be on August 2, 2007. * Contact: (Kansai International Airport Statistics) http://www.kiac.co.jp/en/data/index.html (Kansai International Airport) http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/index.asp ======================================================================== 3. Interview with Mr. Dirk Jan Kop, Consul General of the Netherlands Through some written questions, with the Osaka/Kansai-based representatives of Consulates-General/Consulates, foreign companies or other offices to find out their constructive views on issues concerned with the Osaka/Kansai region. With Mr. Kop's permission, OCCI e-Magazine is pleased to present his views: 1) How long is it since you assumed the current office in Osaka/Kansai? I took up my position as Consul General of the Netherlands in the 29 Prefectures of West Japan in August 2005. It is a great honour to be a small link in the long chain of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Netherlands since 1609 and in the long line of our consular representatives in the Kansai since 1868. 2) What are the merits and demerits or your expectations concerning Osaka's business environment? The Netherlands is the largest foreign investor in Japan and as a destination of Japanese foreign investments we are number two after the USA. Still, foreign investment in Japan accounts for less than 5% of total investment, which is very low (in the European Union it is 32%). Devolvement of foreign trade and investment policy to the Prefectures and, in general, further liberalisation of markets will have to continue in Japan. Japan and the Netherlands are both highly developed, but crowded countries with ageing populations. That gives a lot of new opportunities to co-operate in fields such as environmental technology, robotics and functional foods. The Kansai region is very strong in small and medium sized high-tech companies run by very clever young people, but without much experience in doing business overseas. Our large companies, such as Royal Dutch Shell, Philips Eletronics, Akzo-Nobel and Heineken can largely look after themselves, but it is for these smaller companies where OCCI and the Consulate General can really perform an important role as intermediary. The Netherlands already funds joint R&D activities, even if the Japanese entity is not registered in the Netherlands. Similar financial and fiscal structures to encourage entrepreneurship in promising clusters would help further opening up the Kansai economy. Finally, maybe the most important factor for Japan and the Kansai in staying ahead of the competition from Korea and China is to do something rapidly about the relatively poor English language skills of the Japanese. The international language is not English, it is broken-English and no-one should have any trouble in learning to speak that. 3) What are your expectations for the OCCI e-magazine? To give topical news about favourable areas for participation of foreign companies (both manufacturing and service-related) in the economy of the Kansai. It would also be useful to read "capita selecta" about developments in Japanese regulations, such as in customs, tax and food-safety. Regular updates on "who is who" and new appointments in the business-world of the Kansai would also be welcomed by foreign companies. 4) What are the most impressive happenings or events that you experienced whether in private or public capacity, during your stay in Osaka/Kansai? In general the Kansai is more easygoing and business-oriented than the Kanto-region. A major event was Bio-Japan 2006 which underlined the prominence of the Kansai in this field. To be in touch with the latest developments in small and medium-sized high-tech business, a visit to the Creation Core Higashi Osaka is always worth your while. In the context of NBK (the New Business Conference Kansai), I was impressed recently by the demonstration of a winetasting robot. ========================================================================= 4. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors * April 23 (Mon) Mr. Zhang Wenyue, Governor Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China * May 10 (Thu) Mr. Sawanit Kongsiri, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kingdom of Thailand ======================================================================