Incentive Programs

Shizuoka established a one-stop service center in November 2005 specifically for foreign-affiliated companies considering venturing into Japan. It is intended to provide them with useful information and consultation free of charge. In fact, it received 14 inquiries in fiscal 2006. The one-stop service center is pleased to offer you the following assistance:

• Providing information regarding the investment environment and incentive programs
• Introducing attorneys or tax accountants who are capable of supporting foreign companies
• Providing support for business development

Shizuoka has 3 staff members who reside in the United States as international business advisors. They act as go-betweens to invite foreign-affiliated companies to Shizuoka. If you have strong interest in starting a business in Japan and desire specific information or advice, please feel free to contact us. We will be more than happy to help you contact them and save you the time and expense of visiting Japan.

Special support is available in Shizuoka for entrepreneurs and venture companies. There are 12 public business support facilities including a startup office and business incubation centers, which offer the office space required to start a new business. This is an especially convenient program for companies branching out into Japan for the first time, and some of the incubator centers have already been used by foreign-affiliated companies.

	Hamamatsu City
	Hamamatsu Miyakoda Business Incubation Center Hamamatsu Software Incubator (IT-based business incubator) Techno Frontier Hamamatsu (R & D facility) Innovative Joint Research Center, Shizuoka University Hi-Cube (Science and technology-based business incubator)
	Shizuoka City
	Shizuoka Startup Office SOHO Shizuoka Shizuoka City Shimizu Industry & Information Plaza
	Fuji City
	Fuji Business Incubation Center
	Numazu City
	Numazu Business Incubation Center Numazu IT Kobo (Software-based business incubator)
	Mishima City
	SOHO Mishima

Shizuoka offers to pay half of foreign investors' rent as a 1-year subsidy (max. 500,000 yen). This is intended to encourage them to set up their business premises in Shizuoka. Increasingly, foreign companies are taking advantage of this scheme as awareness of it grows, and actually, 6 companies have enjoyed the benefits of it as of fiscal 2006.