Design suitable for manufacturing and R&D is also a topic of discussion The opening of "innoba Ota," a shared industry creation and support facility Mitsubishi Corporation Urban Development Co.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Consultation Center for New Business Location conducted an interview with Mitsubishi Corporation Urban Development, which opened "innoba" Ota, a privately-owned, shared industry creation and support facility that is also attracting attention for its design suitable for manufacturing and R&D. The interview was published on the Center's website on March 4, 2025.

URL: https://www.ilsc.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/voice/054.html

Exterior view of innoba Ota. Located along Daiichi Keihin, about a 6-minute walk from Rokugote Station and a 10-minute walk from Zoshiki Station on the Keihin Kyuko Main Line. Innoba is a coined word combining "innovation" and "ba" for "place.

A shared industrial creation and support facility that also features a design suitable for manufacturing and R&D.

Ota Ward, Tokyo, with a concentration of more than 3,500 factories (according to the 2021 Economic Census - Activity Survey), is known not only in Tokyo but also throughout Japan as a "manufacturing town. Ota Ward was the first municipality in Japan to establish a business start-up support facility more than 20 years ago, and has continued to provide a place for co-creation and support for many start-ups, ventures, and existing companies.

In August 2023, "innoba Ota" opened in Ota Ward. Ota City supports the construction of "factory apartments" in the city through the "Ota City Factory Apartment Location Subsidy Project," and innoba Ota is the first privately owned and operated shared industry creation and support facility built under this program. We interviewed a representative from Mitsubishi Corporation Urban Development, the operator, about the facility's features and strengths, as well as the advantages of its location in Ota Ward.

Flexible rezoning, sufficient floor load capacity, and electrical capacity

We began by asking about the facility's features.

For small- and medium-sized companies engaged in manufacturing and R&D, the space, floor load capacity, and electrical capacity of the facility are just right. The companies that currently occupy the facility have told us, "When we looked for a facility with floor space and electrical capacity appropriate for the nature of our business, many of the facilities we found were too large, with floor space in excess of 1,000 tsubo (3,300 m2), but innnoba Ota is ideal in that it has the necessary floor space, load capacity, and electrical capacity. We have received many comments such as, "The space at innoba Ota is ideal because it has the necessary floor load and electrical capacity while providing the appropriate amount of space.

The factory and business space at innoba Ota, a six-story building, is on the first through fifth floors. The floor loading capacity is 1.5t/m2 on the 1st floor, 1.0t/m2 on the 2nd and 3rd floors, and 0.8t/m2 on the 4th and 5th floors, and the electrical capacity (power) is approximately 850VA/m2 maximum on the 1st floor, 600VA/m2 on the 2nd and 3rd floors, and 300VA/m2 on the 4th and 5th floors.

The building has 32 private sections, each with an area of approximately 60 to 230m2, which can be used flexibly, for example, by removing partitions between adjacent sections and connecting them together. The maximum ceiling height is 3.0 m below beam on the first floor and 2.9 m below beam on the second to fifth floors, and the maximum openings are 3.0 x 2.5 m on the first floor and 1.8 x 2.1 m on the second to fifth floors, providing ample space. In addition, the design of the building has been highly evaluated for its high degree of freedom in layout, with water supply and drainage systems installed in all sections and ventilation ducts designed to be easily routed.

The first three floors can be used as a factory or R&D laboratory. Depending on the purpose of use and your wishes, you can also rent separate floors for factory/R&D and business space," says Takahashi.

The building is also equipped with shared cargo handling space and elevators.

We have a large loading bay on the first floor, and we have received comments from tenants that it was useful when they brought in large precision equipment," says Kohsuke Kawaguchi of the Operations Management Department.

The loading capacity of the elevator is approximately 2 tons, and the corridors are 3.9 meters wide on the first floor and 1.8 meters wide on the second through fifth floors, ensuring ample space here as well.

■Expectations for Positive Chemical Reactions Created by Tenant Exchange Meetings

Speaking of shared space, another feature of the building is the "innoba hall" on the top 6 floors.

One of the objectives of innoba Ota is to "create a space where manufacturing, research and development, and start-up companies can meet and exchange information and ideas. One of the objectives of innoba Ota is to "create chemical reactions and relationships that occur when manufacturing, R&D, and start-up companies gather in one place", and we hope to make the exchange meetings a place that creates opportunities to realize this objective. In addition, with the cooperation of outside organizations, we have held briefings on subsidies and support systems, seminars on industry-academia collaboration, etc. We also participate as innoba Ota in the Ota Open Factory, a manufacturing festival held annually in November in Ota City" (Mr. Naoya Sagara).

Innoba Hall on the 6th floor. The rooftop terrace is also adjacent to the hall.

In addition, the shared meeting rooms on the 3rd and 4th floors can be used by tenant companies for meetings and presentations.

By sharing such a public space with tenant companies, they can use their own space for manufacturing, research and development, and other business activities, and since there is no need to build meeting rooms, we believe this will lead to cost savings for the tenant companies. A communication manager has been assigned to support the tenant companies, providing opportunities to create opportunities by holding events and resolving any problems they may have. We also hold regular monthly meetings with Ota Ward to exchange information on the status of innoba Ota and the companies that have moved in," says Sagara.

Meeting room. The meeting room can be used free of charge with advance reservation.

Advantages of Ota-ku Location: Outstanding Access to Haneda Airport and Generous Administrative Support

Lastly, we asked about the advantages of locating in Ota Ward.

The most attractive feature is the easy access to Haneda Airport. It is only a 6-minute walk from Rokkodote Station on the Keihin Kyuko Honsen Line or a 20-minute drive. This is an unparalleled convenience, whether you are inviting clients from Japan or overseas to promote your products or your tenants are traveling domestically or internationally on business. The location is also ideal for domestic travel. Shinagawa Station can be reached by the Keihin Express train from Rokkoudote Station in just over 10 minutes, from where you can comfortably transfer to the Shinkansen or Yamanote lines. I believe this accessibility will contribute to the expansion of business opportunities," said Sagara.

Furthermore, the location of innnoba Ota is close to Daiichi Keihin, Loop Route 8, and the Haneda Interchange of the Metropolitan Expressway, making it convenient for travel by car. Such easy access to transportation, including trains and cars, affects not only business but also the commuting convenience of employees. The neighborhood is surrounded by residential areas, long-established shopping streets, parks, and green spaces, which contribute to a better work-life balance for employees.

An added advantage is the ease of receiving various types of support from Ota Ward, which is proactive in promoting industry. The variety of subsidies and grant options, opportunities for business consultation and event participation, and opportunities to interact with a diverse range of local manufacturers are all top-notch in Tokyo.

We are now strategically planning to develop new shared manufacturing and R&D facilities, most recently preparing to open the second INNOBA in the Tokyo metropolitan area. We believe that the know-how gained at innoba Ota, which is one of the best manufacturing bases in Tokyo, and the feedback from the tenant companies will be beneficial and will be utilized in our future development.

Outline of the facility

Facility name: innoba Ota

Location: 4-32-6 Naka-Rokugo, Ota-ku, Tokyo

Operated by: Mitsubishi Corporation Urban Development Co.

Establishment : August 31, 2023

Business : Business base and support for manufacturing and R&D companies, etc.

Website : https://innoba.jp/

Source of information

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Corporate Location Consultation Center

Home Page:https://www.ilsc.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/

What is Tokyo Metropolitan Consultation Center for New Business Location?

The Tokyo Metropolitan Corporate Location Advisory Center provides free consultation for companies and sole proprietors in search of a "location" to establish or expand their business. We will ask you about your desired conditions and make a simultaneous inquiry to private real estate businesses that handle offices, stores, factories, and business sites.

We also provide information on public property information and support systems of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and its municipalities.

(The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Business Location Consultation Center is operated by the Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government.)

Articles

Interviews with companies located and operating in Tokyo and persons in charge of corporate support from the municipalities are posted on the website of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Consultation Center for Investors in New Business Facilities.

URL: https://www.ilsc.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/voice/054.html