SECTION 01

Build a city that earns.
Share the rewards with residents.

Urban growth and a better quality of life. Making that virtuous cycle the backbone of how Fukuoka is run.

The virtuous cycle

Grow the city, raise revenue,
reinvest in people's lives.

• ¥1.0325 trillionCumulative tax revenue gain
  (FY2011→FY2026)
• ~2.5×Children's budget
  (FY2010→FY2026)

Sharing the fruits of growth with residents.

SECTION 02

Remake the city
itself.

This wasn't just about new buildings. It was about rebuilding Fukuoka's earning power.

Tenjin Big Bang

¥1.8943 trillionEconomic impact

• ~90 buildingsExpected to be rebuilt
  by the end of 2026
• 120+ buildingsBy the 2030s
• 59,550Jobs created

Deregulation under the National Strategic Special Zone is driving the rebuilding of the Tenjin area.

SECTION 02

~35 buildingsHakata Connected: to be rebuilt by 2028

• Hakata
  Hakata ConnectedRebuilding the area around Hakata Station, Kyushu's gateway, as a business hub.
• 2023
  Nanakuma Line extension opensHe made the call three months after taking office. The line made it easier to get between Tenjin and Hakata.

Renewing a city
means building the foundation
for its future growth.

— Soichiro Takashima

SECTION 03

Made “Start your business in Fukuoka”
a city strategy.

Startups as a new pillar of Fukuoka's economy. A city where people who dare to try gather, grow, and take off for the world.

Ten years of steady progress

• 2012
  Startup City Fukuoka DeclarationToward a city that backs people who dare to try.
• 2014
  Named a National Strategic Special ZoneThe “Global Startup and Job Creation Special Zone.” Deregulation that sparks new businesses, investment, and jobs.
• 2017
  Fukuoka Growth Next opensA public-private partnership that speeds up startup growth.

Business startup rate

No. 1 for 7 yearsFY2018–2024, among Japan's 20 designated cities

• 1,467 startupsLaunched from
  FGN
• ¥76.4 billionTotal raised by
  FGN companies
• 13 years running50+ companies
  attracted each year

*Jobs created: about 29,000. Source: Fukuoka City data (as of the end of March 2026)

From Fukuoka to JapanFrom Japan to the world

SECTION 04

The fruits of growth,
back into daily life.

Revenue from a stronger economy has gone back into residents' lives, from child-rearing and education to welfare.

Four measures that support daily life

• 01
  Free daycare from the 2nd child onSince 2023 · First among designated cities
• 02
  Diaper delivery and check-ins to age 3Since 2023 · First among designated cities
• 03
  Free school lunchesSince 2025
• 04
  About 900 benches around townOver 10 years from 2016

Budget priorities

New revenue goes back
into daily life.

• ~2.5×Children and
  education budget
• ~2.4×Senior and disability
  welfare budget

FACT

85.1%Satisfaction with the child-rearing environment (up 23.6 points since he took office)

• 1.50Total fertility rate
  No. 1 among designated cities
• ~7×Home nursing for children with medical care needs
  48 → 338 hours

A better Fukuoka for our children.

SECTION 05

Not just spending.
Stronger finances, too.

Alongside the growth strategy came thorough administrative and fiscal reform, managing the budget so the city's future isn't left with the bill.

Administrative and fiscal reform

¥100 billion+Funds freed up through reform

• −¥656.8 billionCity debt
  cut by about 28%
• ~3.8×Fiscal adjustment fund
  ¥46.3 billion → ¥177.6 billion

Steps included reviewing no-bid contracts (worth ¥14.7 billion) and reforming city-affiliated organizations.

Biggest achievement: Island City

From a projected loss
to a V-shaped recovery.

+¥15 billionThe 2012 forecast was −¥16 billion, a ¥31 billion turnaround

¥10 billionof the expected surplus goes to children's programs

*Balance forecast as of 2012; final projections are approximate. Sources include Fukuoka City Council materials (Feb. 17, 2023)

How Soichiro Takashima runs a city

Fukuoka's virtuous cycle
keeps turning.

1. 01Grow the city
2. 02Tax revenue rises
3. 03Give back to residents
4. 04Leave no burden behind
5. 05Grow even more Back to 01

For Fukuoka's growth, and the happiness of every resident.