Gov. Roy Cooper has announced that Toyota will be the main sponsor of this year’s Southeast U.S./Japan Annual Joint Meeting (SEUS/Japan Conference), a pivotal economic development gathering aimed at attracting more Japanese investment to North Carolina as well as across the Southeastern United States.
Taking place in the city of Charlotte from October 27 to 29, the SEUS/Japan Conference happens amid rising optimism surrounding economic growth in the region. The last time North Carolina hosted the conference was in 2008.
Cooper said in a press statement that at present more than 30,000 North Carolinians work for Japanese-owned companies in the state and he expects that number to increase within the year.
The governor also emphasized SEUS/Japan Conference’s pivotal role in cultivating stronger business relationships and generating new jobs, while commending Toyota’s dedication to boosting economic ties between Japan and the U.S.
“Given the vast number of new hires needed, it will be a very challenging human resources exercise but well within the capabilities of Toyota, which has an enviable track record in staffing and retaining in locations throughout North America and the world,” said John H. Boyd, founder and principal of global site-selection firm The Boyd Co. in Boca Raton, Florida.
Cooper said the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) will be working together in planning the conference in coordination with the state’s dedicated organizing committee.
North Carolina’s role as a founding member of the Southeast U.S./Japan Association, founded in 1976, underscores the state’s commitment to fostering trade, investment, and mutual understanding between Japan and member states, namely Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
