Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited North Carolina as part of his U.S. trip, focusing on economic partnerships between Japan and the U.S. During his visit, President Joe Biden and Kishida discussed investments by Japanese companies in North Carolina, with a joint statement highlighting Toyota’s $13.9 billion investment in the state. Kishida also met with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and executives at HondaJet and Toyota.
The visit comes after Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies announced a significant investment of $1.2 billion and the creation of 680 high-paying jobs in Holly Springs. Japan is one of the largest trading partners of the U.S., with at least 225 Japanese companies employing nearly 30,000 people in North Carolina. Toyota also announced the expansion of an electric vehicle battery factory in Randolph County, which will create thousands of jobs.
Other Japanese companies, such as Fujihatsu & Toyotsu Battery Components and Kyowa Kirin, have also announced job creation in North Carolina. The visit included cultural experiences such as a state lunch prepared by Raleigh chef Ashley Christensen, live music by the band Unspoken Tradition, Japanese Tea at Duke Gardens, and a visit to the North Carolina Museum of Science.
Kishida also met with Japanese language students at Nagoya University Global Campus at NC State University to promote cultural exchange and education. The visit showcased North Carolina’s culinary and musical traditions, as well as the state’s commitment to fostering international partnerships and investments.
“Social media scholar. Reader. Zombieaholic. Hardcore music maven. Web fanatic. Coffee practitioner. Explorer.”