Welcome to Tokyo

On Wednesday, Mayor Franklin and the Chamber delegation moved from Fukuoka, Japan, to Tokyo. The mayor and a few business delegates began the day with a meeting at Sekisui Chemical. Mayor Franklin met with Naotake Okubo, president of Sekisui Chemical. Sekisui SPR Americas, LLC, opened in Atlanta in 2006, and is working with the City of Atlanta to tackle the $3.2 billion sewer improvements for metro Atlanta.

Mayor Franklin continued the busy Tokyo schedule with a meeting at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport with Minister Takeshi Etoh.

Mayor Franklin and Hans Gant, senior vice president of economic evelopment for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, meet at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in Tokyo.

Meanwhile, the remaining members of the Chamber business delegation embarked on a tour of Tokyo’s largest companies. The business delegation stopped first at the NTT Docomo Lab. While at the lab, the delegation learned about NTT Docomo’s BlackBerry deployment in Japan, and enjoyed a look at the company’s forward-looking smart phone technology.

Members of the business delegation visit the NTT Docomo lab.

The next stop for the business delegation was the Panasonic Center Tokyo, where visitors can catch a glimpse of some of Panasonic’s latest technologies and the company’s vision for the future. The delegation received a very warm welcome from Panasonic, including recognition on the outside marquis and inside the center on the world’s largest wall-sized plasma screen.

The group is warmly greeted outside of the Panasonic building. Delegates left to right: Yumiko Nakazono (left), managing director of the Tokyo office for the Georgia Department of Economic Development; Jorge Fernandez, vice president of Global Commerce for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; Sachi Koto, president of Sachi Koto communications, Inc.; William Herbert, attorney with Smith Gambrell & Russell, LLP; Nancy Quan-Sellers, vice president of Brokerage Galaxy Partners, Inc., and Matt Forshee, president and CEO for the Fayette County Development Authority.

Mayor Franklin and the entire business delegation joined up later in the afternoon for a business seminar held at the ANA Hotel Tokyo. The seminar provided the delegation another opportunity to promote metro Atlanta as a global business center to Tokyo’s business community.

Following the business seminar, the mayor and the delegation continued on to a reception hosted by InterContinental Hotels Group and Jones Day. The reception provided another opportunity for the delegation to network with the local Tokyo business community.

Ms. Japan Universe greeted the group in Tokyo during the reception. From left to right: Nancy-Quan Sellers, vice president of Brokerage Galaxy Partners, Inc.; Tom Yamamoto, senior advisor of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu; Ms. Japan Universe; Hans Gant, senior vice president of economic development for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; and Nick Qin, president and CEO of China Professional Tours.

Mayor Franklin and the delegation capped off a full day in Tokyo with a special dinner hosted by Coca-Cola. During the dinner, Mayor Franklin and the Chamber delegation had the opportunity to meet with several senior executives from some of Japan’s largest companies with ties to the metro Atlanta area and Georgia.

Delegates attended a dinner hosted by Coca-Cola. From left to right: John Ferrell of Coca-Cola; Daniel Sayre, president of Coca-Cola Japan; Takao Aoki of Honda; Hans Gant, senior vice president of economic development for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; Mayor Franklin; Hiroashi Hoshiro of Kajima; Masahiro Ujihara of YKK; Satoru Deguchi of Panasonic; Tom Yamamoto, senior advisor of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu; Kevin Fletcher, vice president of community and economic development of the Georgia Power Company; and Matt Forshee, president and CEO for the Fayette County Development Authority.

Recap: On Monday, April 23, delegation members, who left in advance of the mayor, traveled to the city of Nagoya, Japan, in order to visit with companies that already have operations in metro Atlanta and thank them for their continued support of our region.

The delegates visited three companies in Nagoya, including Hoshizaki Electric Company, Nichiha and Rinnai.

Delegates meet with Nichiha, which has its U.S. headquarters located in Atlanta. From left to right: Matt Forshee, president and CEO of Fayette County Development Authority; John Woodward, director of foreign direct investment for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; Kevin Fletcher, vice president of community and economic development of the Georgia Power Company; Jorge Fernandez, vice president of global commerce for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Yoshida, chairman and CEO of Nichiha; Tom Yamamoto, senior advisor of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu; Mason Cargill, partner at Jones Day; Mr. Ikeda, executive vice president of corporate planning for Nichiha; Mr. Shoji, executive officer for international operations with Nichiha; and Henry Yu, managing director of global trade solutions with SunTrust Bank.

Chamber business delegation members meet with senior executives from Rinnai, a Japanese gas appliance manufacturer with its North American headquarters located in Peachtree City.

Our next update will be on Friday, April 27. We will catch up with Mayor Franklin and the Chamber business delegation in Seoul, Korea.

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