On Apr. 2 Fukuoka City opened a National Strategic Zone Promotion Office to begin work on setting up a special zone for job creation by this summer. The aim is to make Fukuoka “the easiest city to work in Japan” by tapping into its youth population and facilitating the entry of venture startups and foreign companies. The national government plans to use the special zone to clarify employment requirements for venture companies less than five years old, to revise residency status conditions to promote foreign worker intake, and to lift the ban on foreign doctors and nurses. It also hopes to make the city more vibrant through deregulation. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 4/3
