Mr. Masayuki Kimura, General Manager, Professional Career Development Support Section, Globalization Support Desk (Organization & HR), Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center stated in his opening remarks:
"We, the Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center, have been involved in promoting industries in Tokyo for over 50 years. In 2015, we established our Thailand office here in Bangkok, and since then, we have directly served as a bridge for business between Thailand and companies in Tokyo.
While supporting the overseas expansion of Tokyo-based companies, since 2019, we have also been holding this seminar in Southeast Asia for local companies to support their entry into Tokyo and promotion of their businesses. We are very pleased to be able to hold this event in Bangkok again this year, following last year, with such a great deal of interest.
Furthermore, this year, we received special arrangements from NIA (National Innovation Agency) and are co-hosting this seminar within NIA's 'SITE Thailand 2025' event. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to NIA for their consideration. Thank you very much.
Tokyo is a leading economic city in Asia and a huge market with a population of 14 million. It boasts advanced technological capabilities, sophisticated infrastructure, and diverse industrial clusters, making it a chosen base for business expansion for companies worldwide. Particularly in the startup and innovation sectors, there is a comprehensive support system through public-private partnerships, and support for foreign companies is strengthened year by year.
Additionally, Tokyo offers a one-stop service for foreign companies, providing consultation support for company establishment, office search, and regulatory compliance, smoothly supporting entry from overseas. We understand that some companies may be concerned about language and cultural differences, but there are abundant English-speaking support personnel and networks available. Japanese industries, especially those in Tokyo, have high potential for the future, and we sincerely hope that all of you will take on the challenge of expanding your business in Tokyo.
In this seminar, CT Asia Robotics Co., Ltd. will share their valuable experiences, providing a realistic view of business expansion. You will also hear from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Startup Strategy Promotion Headquarters, which provides comprehensive support for foreign companies entering Tokyo, and we hope this will deepen your interest and motivation for entering and expanding your business in Tokyo.
After the presentations, we will hold individual consultation sessions where you can directly discuss business with representatives from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Walk-ins are also welcome, so please join us."
The Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center has been supporting Thai investors in their investments in Tokyo by opening an office in Bangkok, Thailand, since 2015, connecting Thai and Japanese investors. The relationship between the two countries is good, as evidenced by the fact that over 10% of Thai products are exported to Japan. In addition, Japan is a top tourist destination for Thais.
Tokyo is the 16th largest city in the world by GDP, ranked 3rd as a global power city, and 1st as the most livable city in 2020. There are 3,000 companies with capital exceeding 1 billion yen, accounting for half of Japan's major corporations. While these business infrastructures are well-developed, high operating costs, labor issues, and tax burdens hinder investment in Japan, and the yen has recently been weakening. To address these negative factors, the government is promoting policies to attract highly skilled foreign talent to work in Japan to solve labor issues in the manufacturing sector.
One of Tokyo's advantages as an investment destination is its concentration of world-leading technology. It has research centers, R&D facilities, technology application expertise, highly skilled human resources, and research partners. Business Development Center TOKYO (BDCT) provides comprehensive business services. BDCT supports foreign companies wishing to enter Tokyo, Japan, from business operations to daily life. It can provide wide-ranging support, from company establishment and fundraising stages to sales channel expansion, to help businesses quickly establish themselves in Tokyo.
At the Tokyo One-Stop Business Establishment Center (TOSBEC), specialized staff provide individual advice on the procedures for establishing foreign companies and joint ventures. They support the notarization of articles of incorporation, company registration filings, tax management, social security declarations, document management, and immigration procedures to ensure business establishment procedures are completed quickly. They also promote the discovery of business partners and respond to requests for business matching with companies wishing to expand their business in Tokyo. They search for partners, suppliers, or other related organizations and recommend the most suitable ones. They may also invite businesses to various events organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to expand matching opportunities.
The Startup Ecosystem Tokyo Consortium is composed of members from various fields, including corporations, economic organizations, universities, research institutions, and joint ventures. It provides free consulting services, such as analysis and marketing strategies, to foreign companies in the Industry 4.0 sector and high-tech financial businesses wishing to expand their operations in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It supports trade matching between foreign companies and Tokyo-based companies through various investment projects to find business partners. Additionally, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has programs that support a portion of the costs for establishing new offices in the Tokyo area.
At this event, in addition to representatives from the Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center, individuals who have successfully established companies in Tokyo gave presentations to increase business opportunities. Among them, Mr. Gempei Asama, Global Division Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support Co., Ltd. Access to Tokyo, General Manager and Ms. HASHIBA Kiyoko, Director for Global Promotion, Startup Strategy Promotion Headquarters, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, delivered a lecture on "Business Environment and Industrial Trends in Tokyo." Furthermore, there was a special interview with Dr. Chalermpon Punnotok, Chief Executive Officer of CT Asia Robotics Co., Ltd., on the topic of "Success Stories in Expanding Business into the Tokyo Market." A consultation session by the Tokyo SME Support Center was also held.
Official website: https://www.tokyo-kosha.or.jp/english/index.html
