Some American governors are calling for more corporate investment and tourism from Japan, the top direct investor in the United States, hoping it will help local economies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have great expectations for Japanese companies,” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said at an event in a Washington suburb earlier this month to promote foreign direct investment.
“For example, Panasonic is making the largest investment in the state’s history, and we want to continue this trend,” Kelly told Kyodo News during the SelectUSA Investment Summit.
The U.S. Commerce Department organized the event as most countries have done away with the bulk of COVID-related border measures, making it easier for people, including tourists, to travel from Japan and other countries.
Kelly also pitched business opportunities in her state to Japanese companies and government officials during a related event held at the official residence of the country’s ambassador in the U.S. capital.
Kelly, who lived in Kobe for several years before she was 4, even joked to the audience, “My first language is Japanese.”
At the business event, which was organized by the Japanese government, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer urged hundreds of Japanese attendees to increase their U.S. investments.
Source: Japan Times
