Concentration of Diverse Industries and a Huge Market

The Kansai region includes the unique cities of Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto and is a massive market. It equals the metropolitan area centered on Tokyo as a site for business and plays the central role in the economy of Western Japan.

Osaka Prefecture is the geographical and economic center of the Kansai region. It has a population of around 8.8 million people and the total production within the prefecture reaches around 39 trillion yen.

Osaka provides an ideal location for international companies seeking to invest with experienced local partners. It is home to a range of skilled manufacturers in the electronics, pharmaceutical, machinery, device, chemical, food, and construction industries. Also well represented are members of the distribution industry — including major trading houses, specialized trading companies and department stores — as well as finance and other service industries. Rounding out this diverse economy are high-tech industries such as biotechnology, new materials, and information & communications. Unique businesses in the sports industry and game content sectors also add variety to the economy. In addition, the city has companies ranging from big enterprises that are globally famous to many small and medium-sized enterprises that have their own unique technologies and take a large share of the global market for their specific fields.

The Kansai region, including Osaka, has a huge market which is equivalent to an advanced country and has a huge amount of business chances.

Industrial structure (Gross prefectural product classified by economic activity)

Kansai businesses operating around the world

Kansai is home to top global companies from the electric equipment, chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and finance industries.

Related links

Research results from Osaka Research Center for Industry and Economy (Japanese Only)