We Are Tomodachi Summer 2016

25/36

25Kumamoto Castle, symbol ofthe prefecture’s capital“Kumamon” publicizes the prefecture to people in Japan and overseasEasy access to major Asian citiesBasic facts and figuresOsakaKumamotoBusanSeoulBeijingShanghaiTaipeiHong KongTokyoSapporo500km(312.5miles)1000km(625miles)OsakaKumamotoAssistance formanufacturing facilitiesAvailable only forMajority-foreign-ownedmanufacturersUp to JPY 150 million(USD 1.4 million)Available forboth domesticand foreign operatorsUp to JPY 500 million(USD 4.8 million)ForAmountAssistance for inter-prefecturaloperation facilitiesKumamon, the official mascot of Kumamoto, serves the prefectural government with two titles, sales manager and happiness manager, and is charged with finding surprises and delights close at hand and conveying them to the world. Kumamoto, in central Kyushu, is close to destinations such as South Korea, China, and Taiwan, and is favored as a base for production, logistics, and sales.Kumamoto Prefecture has a population of 1.78 million. With a warm climate, it is one of Japan’s top farming prefectures. Recently Kumamoto has attracted a lot of attention as a destination of business and tourism.Foreign visitors800600400200020112012201320142015（thousand people）229,368302,505423,400483,891739,150The number of foreign visitors who stayed overnight at lodgings in Kumamoto Prefecture rose from about 480,000 in 2014 to 740,000 in 2015, the largest increase on record.Source: Kumamoto Prefecture tourism statistics (The figure for 2015 is preliminary, based on a statistical survey by the Japan Tourism Agency.)The illumination of Kumamoto Castle was resumed a month and a half after the April earthquakes. The castle, located in the central urban district of Kumamoto City, encourages local residents as a symbol of the reconstruction process.Kumamoto has established particularly generous incentives for foreign firms setting up operations and has been striving to improve its support services.Incentives for companies setting up operations

※このページを正しく表示するにはFlashPlayer10.2以上が必要です