Ten Important Facts about Kyushu! How big is Kyushu? Kyushu's GDP totals 367 billion dollars, exceeding that of the Netherlands and Australia. And its population is 13 million, about the same as the Netherlands. How close is Kyushu to Asia? From Kyushu, Asian cities can be easily reached. For example, it takes 75 minutes to fly to Seoul, 85 minutes to Shanghai. How can Kyushu be accessed? Kyushu has seven airports with runways over 2,500 meters long, (some under construction). All regional cities are connected by expressways thereby linking all of Kyushu to major cities in Japan and more than 18 cities around the world. Why is Kyushu called "Silicon Island"? Kyushu's IC production is valued at 10 billion US dollars per year, accounting for 10% of total world production. What are the other leading industries in Kyushu? Led by famous companies such as Toyota, Nissan and Honda, annual automobile related production exceeds 10 billion US dollars. How does the price of industrial land compare to Tokyo? In 1999 the average price of industrial land in Kyushu(Fukuoka) was 250 US dollars per square meter, significantly lower than the area around Tokyo, which cost 1,214 US dollars per square meter. What is the cost of office space in Kyushu? The average rental cost for office space in Kyushu(Fukuoka) is 28 US dollars per square meter, or one third of Tokyo's and almost equal to rates in Taipei and Manila. What is the work force like? Kyushu hosts 68 universities in which 35 host science and engineering departments. More than 40,000 students graduate from these universities every year. Does Kyushu have facilities for non-Japanese residents? Yes. English-speaking medical facilities, and an international school and other facilities provide a safe and secure environment for non-Japanese residents. Which foreign companies have been successful there so far? Many foreign companies such as Hyatt International and, Teradyne, Texas Instruments have achieved a great success in Kyushu - so can you!