When looking at Kyushu’s industrial makeup from the industrial shipment values, the major industries are information and communications and automotive related industries. Going forward fields with high expectations include the environment industry, robot industry and biotechnology industry, and their growth in the market is anticipated. (1) Semiconductor industry == Silicon Island Kyushu == Kyushu accounts for 25% of the domestic production of semiconductors and this amounts to a 6% share of the world market. As there are nearly 1,000 companies and offices in Kyushu that are involved in the process from development and design, to manufacture and sales, Kyushu is called ‘Silicon Island’. (2) Automotive industry Nissan Motor Co., Ltd, Toyota Motor Kyushu, Inc. and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (which manufactures two-wheel vehicles) undertake operations in Kyushu and the total production of four-wheel vehicles in Kyushu reached a new record high of 790,000 vehicles in 2003. Furthermore, Daihatsu Auto Body Co. Ltd. is planning to commence operations in Oita prefecture in December 2004 and we aim to produce ‘1 million motor vehicles’ in Northern Kyushu by 2007. (1) Robotics industry Industrial robot production in Kyushu has a shipment value of 79,600 million yen. In addition to Yasukawa Electric Corporation, a globally renowned industrial robot manufacturer, and Tmsuk co., ltd., a robot venture firm, there is a large accumulation of robot parts-related. (2) Environmental industry In Kyushu there is plenty of potential to invigorate the environmental industry. Examples include a concentration of the basic materials industry enterprises covering steel and cement which have assumed resources recycling, and a concentration of the technology that overcame the pollution problems of earlier years. Vigorous approaches are being implemented in the various cities of Kitakyushu, Omuta, and Minamata such as through Eco-town projects which aim to accumulate environmental and recycling industries in these areas. (3) Biotechnology industry   In Kyushu there are many enterprises associated with green-biotechnology, such as brewing and fermenting. In the various regions, research mainly on foodstuffs has been undertaken for a significant period of time. On the other hand, in recent years, universities have provided the technological seeds that have seen biotechnology venture enterprises starting up, and active measures and projects have been implemented for the promotion of the biotechnology industry, such as the establishment of biotechnology specialized facilities.