Oregon, biz leaders begin recruitment trip to Japan

Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, and a delegation of 27 Oregonians begin a five-day business recruitment trip in Japan Mond ay .

The trip’s goal is to recruit Japanese companies to open U.S. operations in Oregon, growing the state’s economy and creating jobs. The trip includes a seminar where state leaders pitch Oregon to Japanese executives and key recruitment meetings with large Japanese corporations.

Japan, the world’s third largest economy , is one of Oregon’s most critical international trading partners. Oregon is home to 133 Japanese companies, more than any other foreign nation.

Oregon companies export $1.6 billion in goods to Japan, ranking the country No. 4 among the state’s trading partners . With Japan’s declining population and rising business costs, Oregon leaders see a prime opportunity to attract foreign direct investment from Japanese companies looking to grow and diversify in North America.

This is the largest trip since Business Oregon started the annual visits in 2010. The seminar has 156 Japanese executives registered and 27 Oregon delegates will be on the trip. Both numbers are record highs.

This year’s trip include representatives from the Portland region, Eastern Oregon, the Southern Oregon Coast and one Native American tribe. For more on the trip this week, follow Oregon’s delegates on Twitter at #ORJapan.

The full list of agencies and companies represented on the trip:

Business Oregon
Metro
Greater Portland Inc.
City of Beaverton
City of Hillsboro
Port of Portland
Douglas.Smith@PortOfPortland.com
Lane Powell
Portland General Electric
Mackenzie
Oregon Department of Agriculture
PDX Coordinator, LLC
Portland development Commission
Business Growth Services
South Coast Development Council
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Port of Morrow
Summit Properties
Clackamas County