Highly Skilled Workforce
Quick Facts
Academic research institutions and R&D facilities (2016)
157
locations
MIC, METI
Researchers and Engineers (2015)
140K+
MIAC
Human capital and lifestyle ranking (2019/20)
Top 4
(Mid-sized cities)
fDi ASIA-PACIFIC CITIES OF THE FUTURE
Science & engineering universities and graduate schools (2018)
9
universities
- Yokohama, Japan, hosts a myriad of academic and R&D institutions that generates and attracts a highly skilled workforce.
- Yokohama develops programs and R&D bases in areas of technology for which there is expected workforce demand.
- Yokohama prepares the next generation for success in a global setting.
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.
Learn More
Special Contribution: Global Human Development through “Yokohama City University Overseas Internship”
Sumire Daikai, staying in New York as an intern from Yokohama City University, contributed the following article about overseas internship efforts at Yokohama City University:Yokohama City...
How Location is Shaping the Future of (Open) Innovation in Japan (Innovation Interviews, Ep. 4)
The Minato Mirai (MM) area of Yokohama is currently transforming into a central hub for the headquarters of Japan’s large companies and R&D centers. It is the home of businesses such as Fuji...
Initiatives to Educate Entrepreneurs (Innovation Interviews, Ep. 2)
Interview with Dr. Emi Tamechika, Professor at Yokohama National University’s Center for Economic Growth Strategy Becoming a launchpad for innovation, and establishing initiatives to educate...
Company Spotlight: Aperza Inc.
Makoto Ishihara, CEO, Aperza Inc. We interviewed Mr. Makoto Ishihara, the CEO of Aperza Inc., a Yokohama-based startup that participated in the startup convention “Slush Tokyo 2019” which took place...
Job Fairs for International Students in Yokohama
In March of 2019, to support the job-search efforts of international students in Japan, the City of Yokohama held the first of many job fairs for international students. Job fairs for international...
“Creating the best products by utilizing the talent and technology that Yokohama has to offer” (Innovation Interviews, Ep. 1)
Interview with Mr. Hideyuki Fujisawa, Representative Director, NITTO CO.,LTD. NITTO is a global pioneer of state of the art technology. Founded in 1918 to produce electrical insulation...