Gov. Holcomb to Target Innovation, Next Generation Manufacturing Opportunities in Japan

This will be his third trip to Japan

INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb will depart Indiana tomorrow on an international economic development trip to Japan, marking the governor’s third official visit to the state’s largest foreign investor.

“The Indiana-Japan relationship is storied and strong, and I look forward to again visiting our friends in Japan and identifying new opportunities to further grow our cultural and economic partnerships,” said Gov. Holcomb. “Japan and Indiana share so many industry strengths and, with our shared commitment to building economies of the future, we are together poised to lead, innovate, and develop the future of advanced manufacturing, energy and mobility.”

Gov. Holcomb will lead an economic development delegation to Japan, arriving Friday, Sept. 8, and returning to Indiana on Friday, Sept. 15. Indiana is home to more than 1,050 foreign-owned business establishments, including more than 300 from Japan that employ more than 55,000 Hoosier jobs. Among all U.S. states, Indiana has the largest amount of Japanese investment per capita.

In Tokyo, Gov. Holcomb and representatives of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) including Chief Strategy Officer Ann Lathrop will meet with U.S. and Japanese government officials, including U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel and representatives of the Government of Japan, as well as with leadership of Tochigi Prefecture, which shares a 24-year sister state relationship with Indiana. The Governor will participate in the annual conference of the Midwest U.S.-Japan Association, a bilateral organization comprised of the governments of 10 U.S. Midwestern states, eight Japanese prefectures, and approximately 100 corporations.

The Governor will also foster longstanding relationships with Japanese businesses with Indiana operations, including Subaru Corporation, Toyota Motor Corporation, Honda Motor Company and Hitachi Ltd., and meet with new business prospects to discuss opportunities for investment. The delegation will also meet with business and industry leaders in partnership with Keidanren, the largest business lobby in Japan, and the Japan External Trade Organization, and will host a Friends of Indiana Reception to celebrate the longstanding Indiana-Japan relationship.

Gov. Holcomb and the delegation will travel to Gunma Prefecture, which boasts a robust manufacturing sector and established a formal partnership with Indiana in September 2022. There, the Governor will meet with Governor Ichita Yamamoto to discuss opportunities for closer collaboration, learn about the prefecture’s growing innovation ecosystem and attend a cultural and business reception with representatives of the prefecture’s government, industry and community.

On his return to the United States, Gov. Holcomb will travel to San Francisco to speak at Dreamforce 2023, an annual conference hosted by Salesforce, a major Indiana employer. On Thursday, Sept. 14, the governor will participate in a panel discussion titled US Tech Leadership: Governors Investing in Innovation where he will discuss creating a healthy economic environment for business development in Indiana that fosters innovation and supports technology infrastructure. The governor will return to Indiana on Friday, Sept. 15.

This marks Gov. Holcomb’s 16th international trip as governor. The cost of the trip to Japan is being paid through private donations to the Indiana Economic Development Foundation.

Click HERE for live updates from the trip.