Japan Day celebrated at the state Capitol

Japanese residents in metro Atlanta and the Japanese business community in Georgia celebrated Japan Day at the Capitol recently. Japan Day also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Georgia state economic development offiffice in Tokyo.

Gov. Brian Kemp delivered the keynote remark at the Jan. 23 gathering on the north end chamber steps of the Capitol.

“The friendship and economicrelations between Japan and Georgia has been a model of success for the past 50 years. We look forward to continuing and expanding business opportunities in trade and investments between Georgia and Japan,” Kemp said.

Kemp also acknowledged former Gov. Nathan Deal and Pat Wilson, whom Deal appointed commissioner of Georgia Economic Development, for their leadership and fostering good relationships with Japan.

Japan is one of Georgia’s leading investor nations and top trading partners. More than 400 Japanese facilities operate in the state, employing more than 40,000 Georgians. In 2022, trade between Georgia and Japan totaled more than $9.7 billion, placing Japan as the state’s sixth-largest market for total trade.

Mio Maeda, consul general of Japan Atlanta, expressed optimism in continuing the positive trends. “There has been strong interest by Japanese companies to expand and to invest in Georgia due to favorable economic conditions here,” Maeda said.

Japanese companies currently operating in Georgia, such as Yamato, Toto, MUFG, Canon, Yakult, YKK and Mizuno, exhibited their products and services during the event.