On eve of Japanese prime minister’s visit to North Carolina, Fujifilm announces more jobs there

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A subsidiary of Japanese-based Fujifilm Corp. plans to expand further a massive biopharmaceutical manufacturing plant in the state, even as the initial phase is not yet complete. Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies and Gov. Roy Cooper announced on Thursday the additional $1.2 billion investment in Holly Springs, southwest of Raleigh. The company already announced in 2021 a $2 billion investment that would create 725 jobs. Now the company is promising 680 more positions at the site. The news came hours before Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s expected arrival in the state. His Friday schedule includes visiting Honda Aircraft in Greensboro and Toyota’s battery plant under construction.