Kyushu Unveils Regional Development Plan for 2025 and Beyond

In May 2025, the Kyushu Regional Strategy Council released its third comprehensive future plan, outlining a bold vision for inter-prefectural collaboration across the island. Building on previous plans from 2015 and 2020, this latest initiative highlights Kyushu's unique strengths—including a relatively high total fertility rate, a thriving startup launching, and surging investment in the semiconductor sector.

The plan introduces seven strategic projects. Below is a breakdown of each initiative:

Venture Company Support

To boost both the number and scale of startups, Kyushu's prefectures will host pitch events, facilitate matchmaking between entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, and offer business refinement support. The goal is to increase the number of startups that successfully pitch and secure funding to 50 by 2029.

Semiconductor Industry Development

This project aims to establish Kyushu as a semiconductor innovation hub. Key objectives include:

- Building a robust industry ecosystem

- Attracting value-added suppliers

- Supporting socially impactful semiconductor applications

- Developing skilled talent

- Creating R&D-friendly environments

- Balancing industrial growth with livability

- Fostering global exchange

- Establishing legal and financial frameworks

Parenting Support

To create a more supportive environment for families, this initiative promotes paternity leave and raises awareness of gender-related health issues through Femtech solutions.

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Expansion

This project seeks to make public transportation more convenient and widely used. Actions include:

- Introducing unified online ticketing

- Integrating transport systems across operators

- Simplifying route design

- Collaborating with tourism and other industries to boost demand

- Optimizing costs through scale

Cycling Tourism Promotion

Kyushu aims to brand itself as a “Cycling Island,” attracting international visitors—especially from Western countries. Key efforts include hosting global cycling events and building dedicated infrastructure for cycling tourists.

Advanced Disaster Prevention

This initiative enhances disaster response through regional cooperation and cutting-edge technology. Planned actions include:

- Researching digital tools like damage mapping systems

- Deploying advanced rescue equipment and flying vehicles

- Coordinating inter-prefectural disaster dispatch and tech adoption

Boosting Kyushu Food Exports

To grow the food industry's output and revenue, this project supports overseas market analysis, organizes local food fairs abroad, and assists companies interested in exporting Kyushu-made products.

This forward-looking plan reflects Kyushu's commitment to regional synergy, global relevance, and sustainable growth.