Indiana Governor Mike Pence is leaving for a nine-day trip to Japan on Thursday.
In his first foreign trade mission as governor, Pence will be visiting Tokyo, Nagoya, and Tochigi Prefecture, Indiana’s Japanese sister-state.
The trip has been a goal for Pence as the country is Indiana’s largest Asian trading partner.
“I told our team early on that in my first year as governor I wanted to make a priority of getting to Japan,” Pence said.
Governor Pence will visit with government and business leaders, including Japanese companies that have Indiana operations.
“Indiana is the only state in America that is home to all three of the major Japanese automotive assembly plants and lines. That means real jobs in Indiana.”
“I want to get over there and see if we can invite more direct foreign investment in Indiana by Japanese firms,” Pence added
Indiana’s First lady Karen Pence and Secretary of Commerce Victor Smith will also make the trip. Pence’s office said the cost of the trade mission is covered through private donations to the Indiana Economic Development Foundation.
