SEUS-Japan 2017 Brings Together Business and Economic Development Leaders
The 40th Annual SEUS-Japan Conference was held in Greenville, SC.
Leaders of leading Japanese companies gathered in Greenville, S.C. this week for the 40th Annual Joint Meeting of the Southeast U.S.-Japan Association (SEUS) and the Japan-U.S. Southeast Association (JUSSA Japan. ) The gathering of global business leaders was held October 21-24 and celebrated longstanding economic and cultural ties, and offered delegates from Japan and seven southeastern U.S. member states the opportunity to connect.
“The companies that came here in the beginning are still here,” conference co-chair Minor Mickel Shaw told WYFF News. “We’re developing new relationships and really a lot of friendships, so that’s been one of the best parts about it.”
Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman of General Electric Corporation delivered the keynote address on Monday. Additional sessions featured leaders from Komatsu, Bridgestone, Japan Airlines, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, the Marubeni Research Institute, Toyota Motor Corporation, and several other organizations. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper also spoke on Monday.
“It’s a good group of people to get exposed to what’s going on in Greenville, South Carolina and it’s a good opportunity for us to share knowledge about foreign investment and why it’s important to the Upstate and this part of the country,” Mayor Knox White told WYFF. “The Upstate of South Carolina has investment from all over the globe: a lot of German and French investment, but increasingly Asian investments are increasingly important. There’s a lot of Chinese investment now. Japanese investment has been here a long time and it’s still growing again.”
Created in 1976, the Southeast U.S.-Japan Association (SEUS Japan) was established to promote trade, investment, understanding and friendship between Japan and U.S. member states. Current member states include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. A Japanese counterpart, the Japan-U.S. Southeast Association (JUSSA), has membership comprised of Japan’s leading corporations.
Clemson University President Ji m Clements talks with SUES- Japan attendees.
“Providing us with a unique opportunity to showcase our great state and all that it has to offer, this conference and our participation in the SEUS-Japan Association allow us to continue strengthening relationships with one of South Carolina’s top economic partners,” said S.C. Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt, in a news release.
An Annual Joint Meeting (AJM) between the two associations is held on a rotational basis in Japan and the southeastern U.S., alternating between the locations every other year. Also on a rotational basis, each of the seven states serves as “Host and Co-host State” for a two-year term and assumes leadership of SEUS-Japan during that period. South Carolina last hosted the meeting in Charleston in 2002.
The annual conference attracts governors, corporate presidents and CEOs and top economic development and business leaders from the seven southeastern states. Some 350-400 individuals participate in this annual event. Meetings include top business and political leadership, including Ambassadors and Consul Generals, all representing the most significant aspects of the strong economic relationship between Japan and the Southeast.
The 2017 conference featured a lineup of speakers and a series of special activities. This year’s conference theme “Success through Tradition, Innovation & Partnerships” was reflected in conference sessions on topics such as labor force trends and challenges and where will the U.S.-Japan relationship as it relates to trade and investment.
