May 18, 2017

Accenture Selected by Tokyo Metropolitan Government to Recruit Companies from Abroad in Advanced Technologies and Fintech

TOKYO; May 18, 2017 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been selected by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) to support recruiting companies from outside Japan in the fields of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), big data and analytics, as well as in the fields of asset management and fintech.

To address its aging and shrinking workforce, Japan is striving to improve labor productivity and support advanced manufacturing. As part of this effort, the TMG has been working to recruit companies to boost Japan’s economic growth and international competitiveness. As advanced technologies can help modernize communities and improve business productivity, the TMG will step up its efforts through 2020 to attract technology companies to Tokyo, encouraging high value operations such as regional headquarters and research and development centers at the Special Zone for Asian Headquarters. An additional TMG project will seek to attract companies in the fields of asset management and fintech to the Special Zone and other locations. The overall goal for the two projects is recruitment of 10 companies in each project, a total of 20 companies by March of 2018.

Accenture will support both projects, by developing company target lists and outreach activities, including providing consultation by Japanese and international industry experts, matchmaking with businesses in Tokyo, and supporting recruitment of Japanese employees.

To help attract companies focused on advanced technologies, dedicated teams for this program will establish points of contact, named “Access to Tokyo” within Accenture’s offices in Paris, London, and San Francisco. Working closely with the team in Tokyo, they will build relationships with local chambers of commerce and other key executives, host seminars, and promote the attractiveness of Tokyo as an investment destination.

Since 2013, the TMG has been strategically recruiting companies from outside Japan to establish regional headquarters and research and development centers in the Special Zone for Asian Headquarters. Accenture has supported this effort for four consecutive years, recruiting 80 companies in diverse fields including fintech, information and communications, healthcare, and content/creative industries so far.

“We are excited to be selected for the projects to recruit to Japan companies related to financial technology and advanced technologies to the Special Zone for Asian Headquarters,” said Hiroshi Goto, who leads Accenture’s Health & Public Service business in Japan. “Utilizing Accenture’s global network and broad capabilities, we will continue to recruit companies to strengthen the competitiveness of Tokyo and indeed all of Japan.”

About Tokyo’s Special Zone for Asian Headquarters
The Special Zone for Asian Headquarters encompasses regions around Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa/Tamachi, and Ikebukuro Stations as well as central Tokyo and waterfront area and former Haneda Airport site. The TMG strategically attracts foreign companies to the Special Zone, comprehensively offering bold deregulation, preferential tax treatment, and generous packages of fiscal and financial assistance. In September 2011, the TMG applied for designation based on the Comprehensive Special Zones Act, and in December 2011, it was designated by the Japanese national government as the Comprehensive Special Zones for International Competitiveness.

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions—underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network—Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With approximately 401,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.\
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Contact:
Kazumi Yamada
Accenture
TEL: + 81 45 330 7157
Email: kazumi.yamada@accenture.com