Tourism and Investment in Japan

The Japanese government is promoting to export agriculture, forestry and fishery products including pork meat such as black pigs and other brand pigs. However spread of swine fever, fatal infectious disease of livestock, is looming pig farmer’s business and mind for a year. An outbreak has been continuing in the Chubu region since September 2018 when the first case was reported in Gifu and it crossed over the region in last September into the Kanto region where Tokyo is located. On October 25, vaccination to pigs at pig farms in the Chubu region has started to prevent the spread of swine fever. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has decided to start vaccination to pigs to prevent the further spread of swine fever. One year after the first outbreak in September last year, the government has determined that there was no choice but vaccinate pigs because the spread of infection has been out of control. Until then, the Japanese government has ...

The Japanese government released October's monthly economic report on October 18 which summarized that the economy has been recovering moderately, although exports continue to be weak. This assessment was revised downward from that of the previous month. The downward revision is the first in 5 months. In addition to the delay in the recovery of exports due to the global economic slowdown, the report emphasized downside risk of the economy in light of the consumption tax hike and the effects of Typhoon which hit Japan causing heavy damage especially in the Kanto region this month. This is the third time the government has revised its economic assessment downward this year, following March and May. The biggest factor of slowing economy is the slump in exports and production. As for export volume, export of semiconductors seems to have stopped declining but export of capital goods such as machine tools, automobiles and auto parts continues to decline dr...

According to the Tankan, a survey of corporate sentiment released by the Bank of Japan on October 1, the large-scale manufacturing industry index(DI) decreased by two points from the previous survey in June to plus 5 points. The index has deteriorated for the third consecutive quarter to the lowest since June 2013. The effects of the US-China trade friction and the slowdown of overseas economies are said to have affected the result. However, some have argued that this result was better than the economists' expectations. For example, by industry, sentiment of electrical machinery has improved to plus 5 points from plus 2 points of the previous survey. Despite the concerns that IT demand remains stagnant, recent inquiries for the related goods and products are said to be increasing. The adjustment of inventory of IT-related goods such as electronic parts and semiconductors is progressing and business sentiment may be bottoming out. On the other hand, non-manufactu...

Havix CO. provides intermediate materials for paper diapers, sanitary products, pet sheets, towels, tray mats, paper napkins, cooking paper and other paper products. The company aims to bring the society hygienic cleanliness and comfort environment with its products. The current business results were sluggish because sales of baby diapers related products were weak due to decrease in exports. Price increase of imported pulp which is a main raw material and high fuel price also gave negative impacts. As for its fiscal year ended March in 2019, the sales are down 0.3% from last year to 12,823 million yen, operating income is down 40.1% to 684 million yen and ordinary income is down 39.7% to 694 million yen. Under these circumstances, the company is expanding its plant in Kaizu city, Gifu Prefecture enlarging its production system expected to start in December this year. The sanitary materials market such as disposable diapers is expected to continue g...

Gujo Odori, a dance festival in Gujo city Gujo city has rich nature such as wide plateaus with magnificent view, beautiful clear streams flowing through the city and a long history prospering as a castle town. Attractive traditional cultures have been fostered in those natural environment and long history. One of those cultures is Gujo Odori, a dance festival which is said to be one of the three major Japanese folk dance festivals. It has a history of about 400 years and has been designated as an important intangible folk cultural property by the Japanese government. In the festival season, the dance continues for 32 nights. From August 13th to 16th when the largest number of people visit for the festival, as much as 170,000 people are said to visit the town to dance from 8 pm till the next morning. Anyone can freely join dancing with local residents during all 10 songs from loose tunes to up-tempo trips making the festival very attractive. In...

Recent Japanese corporate sentiment is cooling due to trade friction between the US and China. In addition to the trade war, rising consumption tax rate to 10% scheduled in October is feared to be a further blow to the Japanese economy. The consumption tax is believed to be hiked as planed as the government officially decided to raise it in June. However, according to Tankan, a survey of corporate sentiment by the Bank of Japan made public on last July, the business conditions of large-scale manufacturing have deteriorated for the second consecutive year, and the economic outlook is unpredictable. Under these circumstances, the Japanese government will provide point benefits to consumers when they purchase products, services etc. by cashless payments for nine months until June 2020, with the aim of preventing a drop in consumption after the tax increase and promoting cashless payments. Payments by Credit card, electronic money and QR code using smartphones are...

The Chubu region is one of the most concentrated areas of manufacturing industries in Japan including the aircraft and automobile industry. The Tokai Ring Expressway runs through three prefectures of Aichi, Gifu and Mie which consist of the Chubu region in a ring shape. The road dedicated only to automobiles with a total length of about 160 km is being constructed connecting major cities within a radius of 30-40 km from Nagoya, the largest city in the region. It is connected to national highways such as the Tomei Expressway, the Meishin Expressway, the Chuo Expressway and the Tokai Hokuriku Expressway forming a wide-area network running through main cities in the area. The road is divided into east and west section and the east section was developed first. At present, about east half of the total extension is open. In the eastern section opened in 2005, business locations and industrial parks along the road have increased dramatically, contributing to the revita...