Kansai has numerous enterprises that focus on research and development, and the region continues to produce cutting-edge technologies. In 2007, active research and development and production projects continued in a climate with favorable business earnings. In particular, projects for huge factories related to flat-panel televisions were a hot topic as global demand continued to grow. In the first half of fiscal 2007, commercial facilities and research facilities occupied the highest proportions of new large-scale projects. In the future, diverse research and development efforts are expected to advance in biotechnology, medicine and other fields. Kansai is home to numerous universities and research institutes of world acclaim. The area far outpaces the rest of Japan in the number of college and junior college students at 29.1 students per population of 1,000 people (2007), when this figure was 13.6 for Kanto and 13.0 for Chubu. As for research institutes, there is the Kansai Science City known as "Keihanna;" straddling the prefectures of Kyoto, Osaka and Nara, it hosts many private research institutes in addition to public institutes in the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ART) and the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE). Hyogo is where the K Supercomputer and SPring-8 synchrotron are located. This wide variety of research institutes within easy access distance is one of features of Kansai. As they tap their strengths and collaborate with each other, their work and drive are expected to activate the whole Kansai and enhance the area's international competitiveness.

In Kansai, various projects are advancing through cooperation among industry, academia and government. One of these is Kansai Science City, a national project with 15,000 hectares in 12 scientific research clusters that is being planned with the cooperation of businesses, academic institutions, and government agencies to achieve the formation of a next-generation base for scholarship, research and development. The Advance Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) and other research organizations and universities that are focused on artificial intelligence, telecommunications, the environment and biotechnology have already located here and are actively conducting research activities. In addition, the Harima Science Garden City in Hyogo Prefecture is drawing attention as a wonderland of research with the University of Hyogo and various private research institutes centered around the large-scale Spring-8 synchrotron, which is one of the highest performing radiation facilities in the world.

Kansai culture scientific study city (C)Kansai Research Institute.	SPring-8 (C)Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute.