Greater Nagoya Initiative

Access: 30 minutes from Nagoya and 2 hours from Osaka by train and car.; 68 minutes from Centrair by train, 50 minutes by car.

Infrastructure: Regular container shipments are sent to Southeast Asia, Korea, and China, making the port a perfect distribution base to Asia-Pacific.; Yokkaichi's container shipment volume is on the rise. In 96, Yokkaichi's surpassed the 50,000 ton mark. In 02, due to increased trade with China and Southeast Asia, Yokkaichi's trade volume exceeded 2,150,000 tons.

Economy & Industry: 90% of Mie prefecture's population lives within a 2-hour radius of the Port of Yokkaichi and produce 98%of the manufactured goods of Mie Prefecture.; The newly built petrochemical facility attracts technology and people.; In order to create high value-added products in the petrochemical industry, Yokkaichi was designated a Special District Zone and is subject to governmental support.; Suzuka Sanroku Research Park contains many research facilities.; Yokkaichi is an active part of the "Medical Valley Project," an industry-academia-government alliance program designed to create and cluster medical, health and welfare industries. Suzuka University of Medical Science and the Suzuka National College of Technology are possible collaboration partners.

Life and Culture: Industrial region with petrochemical facilities at the bayside area.; Was formerly a stop on the Tokaido trade route. On the fourth of each month, a marketplace was opened, and the name Yokkaichi literally means "Market on the 4^th."; Yokkaichi has always been a strong commercial city, with Banko Yaki, tea, noodles, wine, and shellfish being the noted local products.

Important Industries:: Petrochemicals, semiconductors, general machinery, food

Primary Players:: Toshiba Semiconductor Plant, Mitsubishi Chemical Co., JSR Co., Tosoh Co., Ajinomoto, BASF Japan

Universities and Research Facilities:: Suzuka Sanroku Research Park, Mie Prefectural Industrial Research institute

Setting up a high value-added manufacturing plant in the area would allow for such products to be shipped all around the world via the Port of Yokkaichi. The Port of Yokkaichi enables companies to create an Asia-Pacific business hub.
Yokkaichi is working on high value-added energy, such as fuel cells, next-generation displays, environmental protection, biotechnology, and medical products.
Through the Mie Medical Valley program, Biotechnology as well as Medical, Health and Welfare sectors can receive support such as counseling, research, and help locating factory sites and workers.

The Port of Yokkaichi: Gateway to the Asian Marketplace