OSAKA -- Kansai offers great potential for foreign direct investment -- but numerous problems are deterring foreign firms from doing business in the region, according to American and Japanese participants at a seminar Wednesday in Osaka.
To revive the local economy, which is suffering under some of the highest unemployment rates in Japan, Kansai's business and government leaders are aggressively attempting to develop two industries -- biotechnology and information technology.
"These are the two areas that can become pillars of foreign direct investment," said Osaka Gov. Fusae Ohta in her opening remarks.