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Survey Results of Factory Location Trends in 2018 (Preliminary Report) (January-December)
March 29, 2019
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) conducted the Survey of Factory Location Trends, targeting businesses in the manufacturing, gas supply, heating supply and electricity supply sectors that acquired 1,000 m2 or more of land in 2018 (January-December) for the purpose of constructing factories. METI hereby announces that it has compiled the results into a report.
Outline of the report
The number of new factory locations acquired by the manufacturing and other sectors was 1,123 (up by 8.5% on a year-on-year basis), marking the highest number for the first time in five years, while the new locations cover a total area of 1,293ha (down by 12.9% on a year-on-year basis), showing a decrease from the previous year (see page 4 of the Appendix).
Note: 1ha = 10,000 m2
Note: 1ha = 10,000 m2
Locations (number)
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| First half | 436 | 361 | 511 | 478 | 467 | 525 | 661 |
| Second half | 509 | 487 | 526 | 592 | 559 | 510 | 462 |
| Annual total | 945 | 848 | 1037 | 1070 | 1026 | 1035 | 1123 |
Total areas (ha)
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| First half | 623 | 442 | 639 | 570 | 623 | 645 | 727 |
| Second half | 557 | 758 | 670 | 638 | 674 | 839 | 566 |
| Annual total | 1180 | 1200 | 1309 | 1208 | 1297 | 1484 | 1293 |
Looking at the trends of new factory locations by sector, the metal products, production machinery, general-purpose machinery and other sectors showed significant increases in both the number and areas of new locations from the previous year. Transportation machinery showed an increase in the number of new locations and a decrease in the areas thereof, while the food sector showed a decrease in both the number and area from the previous year (see page 11 of the Appendix).
The number of new factory locations that companies acquired in the same prefectures as those in their head office remained unchanged, i.e., 60% to 70% in the total of such locations. As for the reason why they selected the locations, 301 respondent companies said that they placed the highest weight on the “closeness to the head office or their own factories,” accounting for the largest share, followed by the “land price,” accounting for the second largest share (see page 18 of the Appendix).
Regarding the region-based number of new factory locations and the total areas, the list thereof is as follows (see page 21 of the Appendix).
| Locations (top 5 municipalities) | Total areas (top 5 municipalities) | |||
| Municipality | Locations | Municipality | Total areas (ha) | |
| Aichi Prefecture | 77 | Ibaraki Prefecture | 147 | |
| Gunma Prefecture | 69 | Aichi Prefecture | 76 | |
| Ibaraki Prefecture | 68 | Gunma Prefecture | 75 | |
| Shizuoka Prefecture | 67 | Chiba Prefecture | 71 | |
| Hyogo Prefecture | 56 | Shizuoka Prefecture | 62 | |
References: Press releases by Bureaus of Economy, Trade and Industry
- Kanto Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry (press release on March 29, 2019)
- Hokuriku Branch of the Electricity and Gas Industry, Chubu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry (press release on March 29, 2019)
- Kinki Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry (press release on March 29, 2019)
Division in Charge
Regional Business Innovation Promotion Division, Regional Economic and Industrial Policy Group