“It’s been a very beneficial day and one that we hope will be the beginning of a new relationship,” said Becky Skillman, CEO of Radius Indiana, commenting on the conclusion of a day-long trip Monday to Daviess County and the city of Washington with Toshiyuki Iwado, consul general of Japan (Chicago consulate) and Keizo Shirakura Keizo, consul and director of Economic Affairs.
“We are very interested in strengthening ties between Indiana and Japan,” said Consul Iwado.
Washington Mayor Joe Wellman and Ron Arnold, executive director of the Daviess County Economic Development Corp., hosted the extensive visit. Skillman mentioned that Indiana is home to more than 250 Japanese companies, who employ more than 52,000 associates.
“That’s something we don’t take lightly,” she said, adding that the day marked an opportunity “to build upon the strength of the existing partnerships between Indiana and Japan.” As Indiana’s lieutenant governor, Skillman had previously led an economic development mission to Japan in 2011.
The Consul General and the Daviess County contingent began the day at the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park and were able to take in the surrounding technology and defense-related facilities. From there they proceeded to Washington, where they viewed various developments in the region, including the new construction and companies on the east side of Washington adjacent to I-69. The group then visited the Washington public and private school systems, as well as conducting a short tour of the city. The day concluded with a private dinner at the Washington Country Club, which was attended by several state, county and local officials and business leaders.
Wellman and Arnold visited the Consul General in his Chicago residence earlier this summer to lay the foundation for Monday's visit.
“Many potential opportunities exist for Washington and Daviess County and possible relationships with Japanese businesses, and we were able to showcase our assets for the Consul General and his senior representatives,” said Wellman. “Now we look forward to building on our developing friendship.”
The evening event included a number of presentations by Mayor Wellman, Skillman and the Consul General. The Consul noted that when the Japanese get involved in a region and community, they bring the whole heart and integrate into the local communities. He explained that while he had only been in the Chicago consulate for eight months, the Washington trip represented his sixth trip to Indiana. Today’s trip, however, was the first to southern Indiana.
“Consul General Iwado and Consul Shirakura were warmly welcomed to the region,” said Arnold. “They were given the opportunity to see the real depth of capacity and growth potential in our Daviess County communities and businesses.”
The Japanese contingent was accompanied by Garry Petersen, president of William-Lynn-James, and Larry Ingraham, president of Ingraham & Associates, who helped arrange the southern Indiana visit.
“Southern Indiana is home to many remarkable opportunities for potential collaboration between Japanese companies and Indiana businesses,” said Petersen. “Today’s visit represented a chance to begin to explore those opportunities in an appropriate fashion.”
He added that the opening of I-69 offered new broad access to the technological and agribusiness assets of the region.