The nation's socioeconomic system is in need of reform because information and policymaking is too concentrated in Tokyo, according to the new chief of the federation that represents industries in the Kansai region.
Yasuo Shingu, 71, appointed chairman of the Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren) a month ago, said in an interview with The Japan Times that the federation hopes to work on dispatching more information from the Kansai region so more people and companies will become familiar with Kansai and be attracted to the region. At the same time, he said the most effective way to boost regional economies is for the government to conduct deregulation and give more authority to each region to create and implement its own policies.
"Currently, everything from politics and economics to government functions, even influential business organizations, is based in Tokyo, so naturally it is more advantageous for companies to be in Tokyo," said Shingu, who is also chairman of Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd., one of the largest Osaka-based corporations. "Editors of the major Japanese media are also based in Tokyo, so they look at things only from Tokyo's standpoint," he claimed.