Representative Jeff Duncan attends Southeastern US/Japan trade conference in Tokyo.
Continuing my research and education about the global economy and how the world is changing, I have chosen to attend the Southeastern US/Japan trade conference in Tokyo this week. All of the General Assembly had been invited to participate by the South Carolina Department of Commerce, with only Representative Billy Witherspoon and myself from the House and Senators McGill and Leatherman from the Senate attending.
This trip, paid for myself, will further my introduction into the Orient, the Pacific Rim economic development arena and it's close alliance with the Southeastern United States. South Carolina is blessed with many Japanese companies and we hope to attract even more, as Japanese firms are wonderful corporate citizens and employers. In the Laurens/Newberry areas, we have firms like Kimura, Fukoku, Komatsu, along with Fuji in Greenwood and a heap of other SC/Japanese ventures.
Senator Leatherman offered the opening remarks on behalf of South Carolina, along with representatives from other states including Gov. Purdue of Georgia; Gov. Bredesen of Tennessee; Gov. Riley of Alabama; and the Sec. of Commerce from Virginia, North Carolina and Mississippi.
I look forward to future Blogs about how the world is changing and, more importantly, how South Carolina can change to embrace it.
