There are 157 academic and R&D institutions in Yokohama, Japan, a number second only to Tokyo (2016). The city has a high concentration of engineers; the ratio among the highest in Japan (9.3%, 2017). These favorable conditions contribute to Yokohama’s highly skilled workforce.

Yokohama has an established educational infrastructure that produces a highly skilled workforce specialized in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Of the 26 universities in the city, nine are known for STEM. These universities collaborate in research with public research institutions and private companies in the region, as well as universities overseas in advanced R&D projects. In recent years, universities have also placed an emphasis on technical fields with expected workforce demand. For example, in 2018, Yokohama City University inaugurated the School of Data Science, the first of its kind in the Greater Tokyo Area.

Educational institutions in Yokohama emphasize the importance of raising a workforce that can thrive in the global arena. Universities in Yokohama partner with universities in North America and other parts of the world to provide students with international experiences, ranging from internship opportunities with private companies overseas to foreign exchange agreements with overseas universities. Yokohama also receives exceptional exchange students from all over the world, and the municipal government supports a Job Matching Fair for such students seeking opportunities within the city.