Image provided by MOTIA
The Mayor's Office of Trade and International Affairs (MOTIA) together with the Greater Houston Partnership and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) hosted a bi-lateral, virtual trade mission to Japan. The trade mission focused on the themes of transportation, resiliency, and economic development to align with Mayor Sylvester Turner’s priorities.
It was kicked off with a virtual flight hosted by All Nippon Airways to celebrate the new round-trip flights between Houston and Tokyo's Haneda airport. Leadership meetings with the Mayor of our Sister City of Chiba, JETRO, Mitsubishi Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, and the Japan-America Society of Houston (JASH) highlighted the robust partnership between Houston and Japan. The mission culminated in a Trade and Investment Seminar with over 300 Japanese investors scouting Houston as their next business destination.
Japan is Houston’s 9th largest trading partner. For the past 10 years, trade between Houston and Japan averaged $5.8 billion annually and was valued at $9.2 billion in 2019. There are over 70 Japanese companies with a business presence in Houston and the surrounding area. This trade mission further cultivated Houston’s strong relationship to Japan and explored new business opportunities that may enhance the local economy, creating jobs and investment across the city.