OSAKA (Kyodo) The Osaka Prefectural Government's handout in January of more than 1 billion yen in subsidies to businesses that base themselves in the prefecture did little to stem the flood of firms moving their headquarters to Tokyo.

Business sources say that firms like Tokyo because it is a huge market and home to the government ministries.

Many top executives can be seen rushing to catch Tokyo-bound planes Monday mornings from Osaka's Itami airport.