Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Visit North Carolina
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Mrs. Kishida Yuko.
RALEIGH, NC—On April 12, Governor Roy Cooper and First Lady Kristin Cooper will host a historic visit from Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and his wife Mrs. Kishida Yuko. The visit will feature a State Lunch at the Executive Mansion, visits to major Japanese employers in North Carolina and other sites. The State is working to put its best foot forward for the visit, including participation from noted North Carolina chefs and musicians.
The Prime Minister will travel to North Carolina following a White House State Dinner hosted by President Biden that Governor Cooper and First Lady Cooper also plan to attend. On Tuesday, Governor Cooper signed a proclamation recognizing the historic visit and welcoming the Prime Minister to North Carolina.
“Kristin and I are looking forward to showing Prime Minister and Mrs. Kishida what North Carolina has to offer,” said Governor Cooper. “Japanese investments in our state create thousands of jobs and these companies contribute so much to our communities. This historic visit provides a unique opportunity to showcase the best of North Carolina and continue to build this mutually beneficial relationship.”
On Thursday evening, Governor Cooper will greet Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio at RDU-International Airport. On Friday, Governor Cooper, Prime Minister Kishida and a delegation of Japanese dignitaries will visit Toyota’s first and only electric and hybrid battery plant in Randolph County and HondaJet in Guilford County. First Lady Kristin Cooper will join Mrs. Kishida for a traditional Japanese tea at Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham. First Lady Cooper and Mrs. Kishida will also visit the North Carolina Museum of Science to see a traditional Japanese Friendship Doll that has been continuously on display in North Carolina since it was gifted to the state by the people of Japan in the 1920s.
Governor Cooper visited Tokyo in 2023 to participate in the Southeast US/Japan Economic Partnership Conference and has continued to work to recruit new Japanese business investment to North Carolina. Japan is the largest source of foreign direct investment in North Carolina.