[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the opening ceremony of the Tokyo One-Stop Business Establishment Center held in Tokyo.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

“I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations on the opening of the Tokyo One-Stop Business Establishment Center today.
I have just observed the facility for the first time, and have indeed seen that it is a “one-stop” Center.

As the popular saying goes, “time is money.” By furthering the “one-stop” concept, I am sure that a great deal of time can be saved. In this global era, speed is essential, and in that sense, reducing the time involved from concept to realization when a firm wants to set up a company in Japan will surely provide a major opportunity for foreign companies to invest in Japan.

Highly evaluating the strong desire of Governor Masuzoe and others to “realize Tokyo as the greatest city in the world,” we have designated the Tokyo area as a National Strategic Special Zone as an International business and innovation hub.

I have said that “Japan will become a country that shines in the middle of the world.” As we approach the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in 2020, the Tokyo area must become a model that communicates a new Japan to the world.

To that end, we will form a robust partnership with the Tokyo area in implementing regulatory and institutional reform, to make it a base for international business.
Since the change in government, the appeal of Japan as an investment destination has increased dramatically. Last year, direct investment into Japan increased approximately threefold. In surveys to gauge the degree of interest of foreign companies in various Asian countries as investment destinations, while previously China was top in all categories, last year, Japan took over first place in the R&D base and sales base categories. I anticipate that this year Japan will come first place in more categories. Even when considering the entire world, in the competitiveness survey conducted by the World Economic Forum, Japan’s position has moved up from ninth to sixth place. Nevertheless, we should not be content with sixth place. Let us strive together to achieve the top ranking.

However, even though the investment environment has improved in such ways, if a company actually wants to start doing business in Japan, there is a major barrier: vertically segmented, complex administrative procedures. If someone wants to set up a company in Japan, he or she must tackle procedures related to company registration, taxation, pensions, immigration, insurance, and so on. Even just thinking about all the different offices one has to visit to do all these things is very daunting. Breaking through this system, the Tokyo One-Stop Business Establishment Center, utilizing the National Strategic Special Zone system, will operate as a vanguard to attract companies, talent, and capital from around the world. Naturally, assistance in English will be provided with necessary procedures.

I would like to express my wish that the Tokyo One-Stop Business Establishment Center will serve as a model for not only Japan, but the entire world.

Some have expressed the criticism that our growth strategy is not making much progress. To write such criticism is simple, but I would like these critics to see this one-stop center. It is no easy task to gather together all the necessary offices, but this is truly a “one-stop” set-up. I would like to once again express my respect to all those who have made major contributions to realize this achievement. However, our reforms do not stop here. With all of your collaboration, I would like to work together to make Tokyo, and indeed the country of Japan, the world’s best place to do business.”