The Japanese government has chosen four urban areas as "Global Startup Cities" in a program in which it aims to create its version of the US Silicon Valley. The program is intended to foster startups that will lead the country’s economy, like the global IT giants known as GAFA -- Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon. The government received applications for the program from 17 municipalities across the country. It selected four urban areas to which it will offer strong support over the next three years.

They are the Tokyo metropolitan area, including Yokohama and Tsukuba; the Chubu region centering on Aichi Prefecture; the Kansai region comprising Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe cities; and Fukuoka City in western Japan.

The government will extend subsidies to consortiums formed by local governments, business groups, and universities while easing regulations in the areas. It also plans to help attract investments and talented people from abroad. Separately, the government has chosen four areas, including the northern city of Sapporo and Hiroshima Prefecture, to attract startups in specific fields such as environmental technologies.