The Development Bank of Japan published the "Shikoku Handbook 2025 Edition," providing detailed analysis of economic trends and development potential across the Shikoku region, serving as comprehensive regional economic intelligence for corporate strategic planning, municipal policy development, and investment decision-making.
Regional Economic Overview and Industrial Structure
This handbook covers comprehensive regional economic analysis for Shikoku's four prefectures (Kagawa, Ehime, Tokushima, Kochi), functioning as strategic resource for corporate business development, municipal regional policy formulation, and investment opportunity assessment. The 2025 edition incorporates post-pandemic recovery analysis, demographic shift impacts, and emerging industrial development patterns unique to the Shikoku region.
Shikoku's regional economy demonstrates distinct characteristics with total gross regional product of 15.8 trillion yen in 2024, representing 2.9% of national GDP. Manufacturing sector contributes 28.4% of regional output, led by petrochemical industry (32.1% of manufacturing output), shipbuilding (18.7%), and food processing (16.3%). The region's strategic location advantages include proximity to Seto Inland Sea shipping routes and established industrial infrastructure.
Industrial Competitiveness and Innovation Capacity
Regional industrial analysis reveals strong competitive positioning in specialized manufacturing sectors, particularly chemical and petrochemical processing where Shikoku accounts for 23.4% of national production capacity. Shipbuilding industry maintains 18.9% national market share through advanced facilities in Ehime and Kagawa prefectures. Agricultural sector innovation includes premium citrus production, aquaculture development, and value-added food processing contributing 12.7% of regional economic output.
Tourism industry recovery shows significant momentum with 28.4 million visitors in 2024, up 42.3% from 2023, driven by pilgrimage tourism, natural attraction development, and cultural heritage promotion. The region's 88-temple pilgrimage route attracts international visitors, contributing 234 billion yen annually to regional economy through accommodation, dining, and related services.
Infrastructure Development and Investment Climate
Transportation infrastructure improvements include completed Shikoku Railway network modernization (127 billion yen investment), highway network expansion connecting all four prefectures, and port facility upgrades supporting international trade capacity. Digital infrastructure development encompasses fiber optic network completion across rural areas and 5G coverage expansion reaching 89.7% population coverage.
Investment attraction initiatives achieved 23.8 billion yen in new corporate commitments during 2024, including renewable energy projects (45.6% of total investment), manufacturing facility expansion (28.9%), and logistics infrastructure development (15.7%). Regional competitive advantages include competitive land costs (67% below national average), skilled workforce availability, and streamlined regulatory processes for business establishment.
Demographic Trends and Human Capital Development
Population analysis indicates regional total of 3.67 million residents with aging rate of 35.2%, above national average but showing stabilization trends through targeted population retention initiatives. Youth retention programs achieved 23.4% improvement in university graduate regional employment, supported by local industry collaboration and career development opportunities.
Workforce development initiatives include technical education programs serving 12,400 students annually, vocational retraining supporting 8,900 participants, and entrepreneur development programs fostering regional business creation. Regional universities produce 8,900 graduates annually with 67.8% regional retention rate, contributing essential human capital for continued economic development.
The handbook concludes that Shikoku region possesses substantial potential for sustainable economic growth through strategic leverage of industrial specialization, geographic advantages, and coordinated development policies across prefectural boundaries.