History
During the post-war period where Japan's economy experienced steep economic growth, the country's industrial structure shifted from heavy industry to processing and assembly industry, and the main energy source from coal to oil. As this occurred, Kyushu's economy
started to fall behind, resulting in a larger income gap with major metropolitan areas, and consequently a massive outflow of population.
There was a deep concern that Kyushu might be left behind by the rest of Japan, and a sense of crisis that unorganized efforts by individual companies alone would not be enough to develop Kyushu. This prompted the business communities in Kyushu and Yamaguchi to come together, and the
Kyushu Economic Federation was established in April 1961.
Since its founding, KEF has made steady achievements in the development of infrastructure, the advancement of industries in Kyushu, and the promotion of international exchanges.
While continuing to make progress in these and other issues, the current focus is on decentralization reform.
Achievements
Public-Private Partnership
| 1961 |
Made a joint statement with the Kyushu Regional Governors' Association (mutual cooperation in specific promotion of economic development). |
| 1985 |
Started the "Exchange of Opinions with the Kyushu Regional Governors' Association" (regular meetings between prefectural governors and the Kyushu Economic Federation). |
| 2003 |
Established the Kyushu Regional Strategy Council (to formulate and implement Kyushu's own development strategy). |
| 2005 |
Established the Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organization. |
| 2008 |
Developed the "Doshu Kyushu Model". (An administrative reform proposal, involving integration of prefectures into 7 to 10 states) |
| 2011 |
Formulated the "Kyushu Model for a Low Carbon Society". |
| 2015 |
Formulated the "Renewable Energy Action Plan". |
| 2015 |
Formulated the "Kyushu Creation Action Plan". |
| 2017 |
Formulated the "Second Kyushu Tourism Strategy". |
Promotion of Academics and Culture
| 1963 |
Proposed the creation of the National University of Arts and Design (tentative name). |
| 1968 |
The Kyushu Institute of Design was established |
| 1992 |
The Kyushu National Museum Establishment Promotion Foundation was established. |
| 2005 |
The Kyushu National Museum opened. |
Attracting Automobile Industries
| 1967 |
The Kyushu Automobile Industry Study Group was established, which presented the possibility of the Kyushu region as a location for the automobile industry, and requested each automobile industry company to expand into Kyushu. |
| 1975 |
Nissan Motor Kyushu Plant started operation. |
| 1976 |
Honda Motor Kumamoto Plant started operation. |
| 1992 |
Toyota Motor Kyushu Miyata Plant started operation. |
| 2004 |
Daihatsu Kyushu Oita (Nakatsu) Plant started operation. |
Promotion of Social Infrastructure Development in the Region
Expressways
| 1968 |
"Opinions on the National Comprehensive Development Plan" was announced (requesting the establishment of a high-speed transportation system). |
| 1971 |
The first expressway in Kyushu opened (between Ueki and Kumamoto). |
| 1988 |
The Kyushu Longitudinal Expressway was completed. |
| 1996 |
The Trans-Kyushu Expressway was completed. |
| 2016 |
The East Kyushu Expressway (Kitakyushu to Miyazaki) opened. |
Kyushu Shinkansen, West Kyushu Shinkansen
| 1988 |
The "Kyushu Shinkansen Construction Promotion Study Group" was established to conduct surveys and research on the development of Shinkansen. |
| 1991 |
Construction of the Shin-Yatsushiro - Kagoshima-Chuo line began in 1991, and opened in 2004. |
| 2011 |
The Hakata - Shin-Yatsushiro route opened. |
| 2022 |
The Nagasaki - Takeo onsen route opened. |
The Globalization Age
| 1991 |
The Kyushu-China Industrial Technology Council was formed. (Meets annually) |
| 1993 |
The Kyushu-Korea Economic Exchange Council was formed. (Meets annually) |
| 2001 |
Established"The Yellow Sea Rim Economic and Technological Conference"(regularly held every year by Kyushu, China and South Korea on a rotation basis). |
| 2009 |
Our first MOU(memorandum of understanding on economic exchanges) was concluded with an agency of Vietnamese government(since then we have concluded 14 MOUs in 11 countries and regions in Asia). |
The Decentralization Age
| 2002 |
Proposed "Kyushu Area Strategies for the 21st Century." |
| 2003 |
The Kyushu Area Strategy Council was formed. (Kyushu Governors' Association + 4 local business organizations) |
| 2005 |
The Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organization was formed. (Kyushu's 7 prefectures + local business communities) |
| 2008 |
Devised a "Kyushu model for the regional system." |
| 2015 |
Kyushu Agricultural and Marine Products Co. Ltd. was established to develop marketing to Asia as a new target for Kyushu’s primary industries.
The company began exporting agricultural products from Kyushu to Hong Kong in 2015, and later expanded its sales channels to Singapore and Taiwan. |
| 2021 |
The "Kyushu Future Vision 2030" was formulated. |