Tsukuba "Cutting-edge Research Park," Built by Ibaraki Pref. and Widely Supported by Global Companies, Attracts Strong Interest at "SEMICON Japan 2025" Trade Fair
MITO, Japan, Feb. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ibaraki Prefectural Government ran a booth at "SEMICON Japan 2025" held at Tokyo Big Sight from December 17 (Wednesday) to December 19 (Friday), 2025.
With easy access -- just about 60 minutes by airport bus from Narita International Airport -- the "Cutting-edge Research Park," a business site designed for research and development located in the Kenkyu-gakuen area in the Ibaraki prefectural city of Tsukuba, is drawing global attention as a strategic hub for the semiconductor industry.
Image1: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108961/202602093789/_prw_PI3fl_u6489lv0.jpg
In the vicinity of the Cutting-edge Research Park, for example, are NIMS (National Institute for Materials Science), which has concluded a comprehensive cooperation pact and an International Cooperative Graduate Program agreement with universities in Taipei, as well as TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), which has established its first research and development base in Japan within the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)'s Tsukuba Center. The Cutting-edge Research Park serves as an ideal location for Taiwanese research institutions and companies to foster their industry-academia collaboration, offering a favorable business environment and convenient geographical location.
At the SEMICON Japan 2025 trade fair held late last year, the Ibaraki Prefectural Government used panel displays and video presentations themed around the Cutting-edge Research Park. The exhibit drew strong interest from many global companies with their sights on collaboration with TSMC and Japanese companies.
Video introducing the Tsukuba Cutting-edge Research Park: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jqLJoGKS2s
Strong interest in the Cutting-edge Research Park confirmed at SEMICON Japan 2025
A survey of visitors to the SEMICON Japan 2025 event confirmed the high level of interest in and positive evaluation of the Cutting-edge Research Park. Semiconductor-related companies expressed significant expectations regarding possible collaboration with AIST, as well as the advantages of the TSMC facility's proximity to the research park.
Image2: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108961/202602093789/_prw_PI1fl_Ptyw9ZOq.png
There were also many in-depth inquiries from visitors concerning local infrastructure developments, such as electric power and water supplies, as well as support programs to help secure highly skilled personnel and subsidies. Ibaraki Prefecture offers three key strengths essential for Taiwanese companies to succeed in the Japanese market: environment, geographical location, and skilled human resources.
1. Integration of world-class knowledge
One-third of Japan's national research institutions, or 29 such institutions, are concentrated in Tsukuba City. In addition to TSMC's first overseas research and development facility equipped with a cleanroom, an industrial hub for quantum computers is operating at AIST, among other functions.
Furthermore, NIMS, which is engaged in people-to-people exchanges with universities in Taipei, is also operating in the area, forming an innovative hub for developing Japan's cutting-edge technology, such as semiconductors, quantum computers, and advanced materials, through active technology exchanges crossing the boundaries among companies.
2. Excellent transportation infrastructure and easy access from overseas
- Accessible from Narita International Airport in about 60 minutes
- About 46 minutes, at the earliest, from Akihabara, central Tokyo, on the Tsukuba Express
- Located within walking distance of a nearby station. Easy access between research hubs and company headquarters or client companies
- The Metropolitan Inter-City Expressway and the Joban Expressway intersect in Tsukuba, and there are four interchanges, including a smart-interchange
Companies operating on a global scale can efficiently coordinate their headquarters functions and international activities simultaneously.
Overview of Cutting-edge Research Park site: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108961/202602093789/_prw_PI2fl_3JrJ8iXF.jpg
3. Fastest-growing talent market in Japan
Population growth
- In 2024, Tsukuba City recorded the highest population growth rate among all cities in Japan, excluding special wards
- The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research predicts that the city's population will continue to increase through 2035
Abundance of researchers
- More than 17,000 active researchers are working in Tsukuba, putting the city among the top regions in Japan in terms of the number of researchers per working population
- Steady stream of students from Tsukuba University and from abroad
Global talent
- There are about 14,000 foreign residents in the city
- Ibaraki Prefecture has established a framework to constantly secure human resources through initiatives, including cooperation with universities in India
Promoting active roles of foreign human resources in workplaces: Ibaraki Prefecture
https://www.pref.ibaraki.jp/shokorodo/rosei/rodo/gaikokujin/center.html
Thought-out support programs for corporations
Subsidy programs
- Financial support for such costs as capital investment related to relocating headquarters or establishing production facilities in growth industries, such as that of semiconductors
- Ibaraki Prefecture has expanded and improved its subsidy programs from fiscal 2025 so that it can provide one of the most competitive support packages in Japan for global companies establishing their flagship hubs
Tax incentives
- Exemption on real estate acquisition taxes and corporate enterprise taxes
- Exemption on property taxes in each municipality
Dedicated support programs
- A permanent business attraction office is set up in Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Support services include explanations of business sites, guidance on incentive programs, and follow-up assistance after a company starts business operations in Tsukuba
Benefits of the Super City-type National Strategic Special Zone
Tsukuba City has been designated by the Japanese government as a "Super City–type National Strategic Special Zone," enabling the city to create an innovative environment where advanced technologies, such as AI and big data, can be seamlessly implemented into real-world applications. In this environment, companies can test their newly developed technologies in real-world settings directly, shortening the path from development to full social implementation.
A case of business expansion
Manufacturer of cleanroom air conditioning systems for semiconductor production
The company is developing advanced technologies while strengthening collaboration with local universities and research institutions
Ibaraki Prefecture, which has ranked No. 1 nationwide for eight consecutive years in attracting companies from outside the region, is fully committed to supporting efforts to revitalize Japan's industrial competitiveness.
SOURCE Ibaraki Prefectural Government
Share this article