A group of economic development, political and trade professionals from Indiana left Thursday for a trade mission to Japan.
The group, which includes the mayors of Columbus, Greensburg, Seymour, Vincennes and Wabash, seek to boost Indiana’s relationships with Japanese companies that do business in Indiana.
The delegation will travel to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya for a series of meetings, including the Midwest US-Japan Conference and the World Expo in Japan, which will focus on economic growth and innovation.
Chris Pfaff, CEO of Knox County Indiana Economic Development, says many communities throughout Indiana directly benefit from Japanese foreign direct investment.
“We’re traveling to Japan to continue building relationships with Japanese business leaders and explore new opportunities for growth and partnership,” Pfaff said in written remarks. “With face-to-face gatherings and meetings, we can highlight Knox County strengths and directly learn about the priorities of Japanese companies during this time of trade policy changes.”
The delegation will take part in a private “Friends of Indiana” reception on Sept. 9 that will include Japanese business and national leadership. The gathering is supported by the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and the Japan-America Society of Indiana.
A second reception with elected officials and Japanese business executives is scheduled for Sept. 11 with a focus on “the strategic value of engaging with Indiana.”
More than 300 Japan-related companies have operations in Indiana, employing nearly 70,000 people, according to the Consulate-General Office of Japan in Chicago.