Key Facts
• July 2025: Speech by Sanseitō leader Kamiyama in Fukuoka criticized by mayor.
• Kamiyama claimed Fukuoka’s special zones rely on foreign investment and labor.
• Mayor Takashima refuted, stating zones support Japanese startups, not foreign favoritism.
• Takashima directly called Kamiyama after seeing the speech on YouTube.
• Takashima clarified the ‘Financial and Asset Management Special Zone’ policy.
• Policy aims to ease angel investment in Japanese startups, not prioritize foreigners.
Summary
During the July 2025 election period, Sanseitō leader Kamiyama criticized Fukuoka’s policies, claiming they overly rely on foreign investment and labor. Fukuoka Mayor Takashima publicly refuted these claims, explaining that the ‘Financial and Asset Management Special Zone’ policy is designed to support Japanese startups by facilitating angel investments. Takashima, who discovered Kamiyama’s speech on YouTube, directly contacted him to address the inaccuracies. The mayor emphasized that the policy does not prioritize foreign investors but instead aims to strengthen Japan’s economic foundation through local entrepreneurship.
