1. 　Department of Commerce, Industry and Labor Policy Outline and FY 2018 Major Efforts
Policy Goals
Enhancement of global competitiveness of Osaka industry and economy to establish the foundation of the Second Capital Osaka
Promoting growth of Osaka-Kansai making use of its potential
▬Creating the engine of growth for Osaka industries▬
Creating an environment for SMEs to develop their activities
▬Total support in the aspects of management, technology and funds▬
■ Promoting the growth of Life Science Industry
○ Establishment of hubs such as “The Nakanoshima International Hub for Medical Innovation” and “Northern Osaka Health and Biomedical Innovation Town (KENTO)
○ Establishment of the system which support the entire process of collaboration of enterprises and universities from matching to commercialization of health-related products
■ Supporting innovations and expansion of new businesses
○ Promoting an innovation and industrialization of new businesses by making use of AI, IoT at Industrialization Strategy Center, including an innovation of businesses for solving social issues for achieving SDGs, in cooperation with private sectors.
■ Promoting of battery-related industries
○ At the Battery Strategy Promotion Center (mainly): Expanding SMEs’ battery and hydrogen / fuel cell component related business, which is increasing its demand in the Electric Vehicle (EV) -related industries
■ Promoting international businesses and investment of domestic / international businesses
○ Encouraging Osaka-based SMEs to develop overseas business, such as trading and investments, cooperating with JETRO, JICA, economic organizations, and the consulates in Osaka.
○ Attracting companies from Japan and abroad, making use of Tax Incentive System for Special Zone for Growing Industries
○ Promoting investments from overseas to SMEs in Osaka.
■ Supporting the sustainable development of SMEs
○ Intensively supporting succession of business operation, in cooperation with Society of Commerce and Industry / Chamber
of Commerce and Industry, financial institutions, National Government, and municipalities.
○ Planning the consolidation of Osaka Industrial Promotion Organization and Osaka Urban Industry to construct a comprehensive support system
○ Providing comprehensive support for ambitious SMEs, small business operators, and local shopping areas
■ Promoting the start of businesses / Supporting the growth of venture companies
○ Promoting “a startup ecosystem by all the parties concerned in Osaka through strengthening the cooperation
with related groups
♦ Improvement of the SMEs and support for their efforts to create innovation
● Promoting the use of financing system which encourages the growth of SMEs, in cooperation with financial institutions.
● Providing entire technical assistance from the research of development to the manufacturing of the components
at the “OIST”(Osaka Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology)　　　　
● Providing information and exchange opportunities through “MOBIO” (Monozukuri Business Information center Osaka) for domestic and overseas business
● Enhance the brand value of SMEs　
Orientation
Enhancement of cooperation with municipalities, in particular
Unified efforts of the entire department toward the common issues based on the latest economic situation.
■Globalization of Osaka industries and economy
● Taking advantages of growth of overseas markets, mainly Asian countries, while domestic markets are shrinking.
■Permeation of AI and IoT into every field　
● Promotion of productivity improvement and innovation in “the 4th Industrial Revolution”
→ Implementing policies linked to the national policies such as the “Productivity Revolution” and “Work style reform”
Making a system to “connect” different operating bodies and efforts
“Connecting” each body under the right role sharing
Policy implementation based on the changes of socio-economic situations
Creating an environment where diverse people can work actively
▬Support for the activities of women, younger generation, challenged people, etc.▬
Various Industries and labor-supporting Organizations
Socioeconomic conditions
surrounding Osaka-Kansai
■ Support ing Job seekers and recruitment of companies through “Osaka Shigoto Field”
○ Supporting everyone who hopes to work, including women, the young, physically or mentally challenged people and LGBTs, by further strengthening the cooperation with the national government and municipalities, under the collaboration with “Public Employment Security Office”
○ Encouraging SMEs in Osaka industries to secure labor force through recruitment support, promotion of employment for physically or mentally challenged people and those with professional skills by SME Support Center
■ Promoting “the Work-style Reforms” in cooperation with the national government
○ Making efforts for improvement of working　environment, such as the eradication of “sweatshops” to stop and prevent overwork.
○ Making efforts to prevent　labor-management disputes, by raising awareness of labor-related laws and regulations, making use of the labor consultation and local labor networks.
■ Developing human resources who support Osaka industries
○ Fostering human resources who meet needs of the business community through Job training at the prefectural technical schools, based on the technology trends of AI and IoT-related industries and Problem-based learning (PBL) offered in collaboration with universities and economic groups
○ Providing the job training for:
●Physically or mentally challenged people at the institutions including the Osaka Vocational Training Center
● People who have difficulty in finding jobs such as single parents, making use of private job-training institutions.
●National government
METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
The Small and Medium Enterprise Agency
Japan Patent Office
Kansai METI
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
Osaka Labor Bureau
●Public institutions
Osaka Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology
Credit Guarantee Corporation Of Osaka
Osaka Prefectural Federation of Small Business Associations
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Consulates-  General in Osaka
●Municipalities in Osaka Prefecture
●Economic Organizations The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Kansai Economic Federation
Kansai Association of Corporate Executives
●Labor Organizations
Japanese Trade Union Confederation Local of Osaka (Rengo Osaka) 
●Universities, research institutes
●Financial institutions etc.
-Shrinking domestic market.
-The rapid economic growth of Asian countries such as China and India, which have huge markets.
-Rapid permeation of AI and IoT into every aspect of society
-Growing the expectation for Life-Science toward a healthy and long-life society
-Global movement of SDGs.
-Continuing over-concentration in Tokyo
-Apparent shortage in labor due to the declining of the working-age population
-An expectation for further growth by holding the World Expo 2025