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Key Industries
Environment & New Energy Industries
Concentration of Environment and New Energy Industries in the Osaka/Kansai Region
Forecasted Growth of the Global Battery Market
Today, investments in environment- and energy-related industries are vigorous all over the world. Particular attention has been paid to lithium-ion and other type battery industries and to new energy industries such as photovoltaic power generation. There will be a worldwide increase in market size in these growth industries with their focus on “green innovation.”
Forecasted growth of the
global lithium-ion battery market
Notes: 1. Data based on a survey by Sangyo-Joho Limited.
2. 2008 data shows actual performance values, while the data for 2009 onwards are estimated figures.
Forecasted growth of the
global solar battery market
Notes: 1. Data values are based on the “Annual of Electronic Devices Components 2010.” (Chunichisha)
2. The values of 2010 and after are estimated figures.
3. Quantity data based on the survey by Japan Economic Center.
4. The quantity of 2008 is an actual performance figure, while quantities of 2009 and after are estimated figures.
In recent years, leading companies in the environmental and energy industries have opened their business bases in Osaka and the rest of the Kansai Region, especially in the Osaka Bay area. Today, the Kansai Region is ready for further growth as the world’s center of battery production, with a number of state-of-the-art battery plants constructed or scheduled to be constructed in the Osaka Bay area and various other parts of the region. The advantages of this region that have made such growth possible include: the presence of headquarters and research institutions of cutting-edge electric machinery, battery manufacturers and universities; the availability of high-caliber research personnel; the extensive transportation network consisting of expressways, railroads, ports, and airports; and, last but not the least, the concentration of suppliers of high-performance components and devices essential to these production plants.
(Data source: Development Bank of Japan Inc.)
Map of the “Battery Bay”
Source: “Way to Battery Super Cluster”the Development Bank of Japan Inc.
Kansai Region's Share of the Battery Market
Kansai Region’s share of the domestic lithium-ion battery market has been growing from year to year, with its estimated market share in 2009 reaching 81.2% (220 billion yen in terms of production value), while the share of the region in the domestic solar battery market is estimated to be 73.8% (162.2 billion yen in terms of production value). Globally, the estimation holds that the Kansai Region captured 22.9% and 8.1% of the lithium-ion battery and solar battery markets respectively in 2009. These figures indicate that the Kansai Region deserves to be called one of the world’s centers of battery production.
Battery Production in the Kansai Region
Domestic market share (2009)
Battery Production in the Kansai Region
Global market share (2009)
Source : Data provided by the Development Bank of Japan Inc.
i) The battery production value of the Kansai Region is calculated based on the statistical data of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Kansai Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry.
ii) The battery production value of Japan is calculated based on the statistical data of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
iii) The battery production value of the world is calculated based on the data collected by Sangyo-Joho Ltd.
Concentration of Research Bases and Availability of High-caliber Personnel
One of the factors that has contributed to the prosperity of the battery industry in the Kansai Region is the concentration of businesses, universities and governmental agencies that have long demonstrated strength in battery research. As shown in the below map, the region is home to a number of headquarters and research institutions of major electric machinery manufacturers, universities involved in basic research on electric science, and governmental R&D institutions and evaluation centers, which together have been playing a leading role in battery research in Japan.
Such a concentration and the consequent availability of high-caliber research personnel have induced opening of additional research and production bases in this region, which, in turn, has led to further expansion of the concentration.
Source: “Way to Battery Super Cluster,” the Development Bank of Japan Inc.
