The quality that Japanese companies most want to see in their employees to fend off competition from foreign firms is the ability to devise innovative projects, according to a government survey.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said 3,153 firms responded to the survey, which was conducted in September and released earlier this week. Companies were allowed to choose multiple answers from a list.

The ability to devise innovative business projects was chosen by the largest number of firms, accounting for 7.7 percent of the respondents, the ministry said. In contrast, only 2.3 percent of the firms said they put emphasis on high levels of competence in foreign languages.

A ministry analyst cautioned, however, that English ability may be taken for granted. "Respondents probably gave these answers on the assumption that their employees should have a basic ability in English as a matter of course," he said.

Second on the list of sought-after qualities was a "keen awareness of how to cut costs and the ability to understand financial statements," chosen by 7.5 percent of the respondents.

In third place, at 6 percent, was the ability to find purchasers of goods and services.

A little less than 6 percent of the firms want employees to possess the "ability to devise business strategies" to beat competitors and make their companies flourish.

Only 1.8 percent said they want employees to have the ability to negotiate favorable agreements with business partners.