The Abe administration has decided to let Cabinet members directly support foreign companies making large investment in Japan, in a rare move aimed at luring more capital from abroad to help revive the economy.
Under the plan, senior vice ministers as well as parliamentary secretaries will be assigned to be an "adviser" to foreign firms investing more than ¥20 billion and hiring over 500 regular employees in Japan, a government panel said.
To receive the support, companies will also need to operate in business areas such as health care, renewable energy and advanced infrastructure development that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has prioritized in his growth strategy.
Japan's linguistic and cultural barriers, as well as problems resulting from differences in business practices, are often viewed as dragging down foreign direct investment.
The panel decided on other steps to attract overseas investors, including drawing up guidelines to encourage Japanese retailers to display information on their products in multiple languages and expanding free Wi-Fi connection services for foreign visitors.