Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida solidified economic and cultural connections with North Carolina during his visit on Friday. Japan is the largest source of foreign direct investment in the state, with over 200 Japanese companies employing more than 30,000 people. Kishida's visit included a historic lunch at the governor's mansion in Raleigh, where he highlighted the strong relationship between Japan and the United States.
During his time in North Carolina, Kishida visited benchmark Japanese companies, including a Honda Aircraft Co. production facility and a Toyota Motor Corp. electric and hybrid battery plant. These visits underscored the significant investments Japanese companies are making in the state, with expectations of creating thousands of jobs.
