As Shigeru Ishiba assumed the leadership of the Japanese government, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox led a local delegation to promote business opportunities in his state during a recent East Asia tour that included a stop in Japan.
“The relationship between the United States and Japan has never been more crucial,” Cox said after a meeting with Matsuo Takehiko, vice minister for international affairs at Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, during which he called on their nations to strengthen supply chains, particularly in critical sectors like minerals and energy.
We are a beautiful state with a high quality of life.
Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox
Cox also highlighted five key sectors for Japanese investment in Utah: aerospace, life sciences, fintech, advanced manufacturing, and technology. The governor also cited the consultancy firm BGR’s Best States for Asian Investment Index, which named Utah the top U.S. destination for Asian investment and boasted “the largest growth in the tech sector over the last 10 years.”
“We are a beautiful state with a high quality of life,” said Cox, who emphasized Utah’s various advantages, like favorable tax incentives, a youthful workforce, and a high concentration of multilingual professionals.
Earlier this year, Salt Lake City, Utah’s tech hub, won the rights to host the 2034 Winter Olympics.
Cox also stressed how important it is for the United States and Japan to address shared global challenges.
“The U.S. and Japan share economic and defense security interests and face common adversaries who seek to control global supply chains,” he said.
