In addition, the improvement in traffic infrastructure, including the full opening of the Kyushu Shinkansen Line this month and ongoing extension work in the region for the Eastern Kyushu Expressway, is expected to intensify the interaction within the Kyushu region and with other areas including the Kansai region.
Looking toward the future for Oita’s economy, I am paying close attention to the following two issues that could lead to future growth in Oita Prefecture. First, wide-ranging cooperation in the medical and welfare areas. Many medical equipment manufacturers have been congregating in Oita Prefecture and the prefecture’s total value of medical equipment production ranks fourth in Japan.