On November 7th, 2023, five representatives from Oregon visited Takaoka and Toyama City. Two of them, Business Oregon’s Director Sophorn Cheang and Deputy Director Chris Cummings, had previously visited Toyama with Former Governor Brown last fall. However, for Business Oregon’s Business Services Director Melisa Drugge and Global Trade and Business Manager Colin Sears, as well as Port of Portland’s Director of Economic Development Tamara Kennedy, it was their first time in Toyama.
The group first visited Hokusei Products in Takaoka City, which imports Oregon fruit purees and has a US office within Oregon state. They met with CEO Shotaro Tomita and discussed the Oregon-Toyama partnership and potential future courses of action to further strengthen it. Of course, Hokusei’s Oregon fruit puree craft beer and Oregon pride were on full display, including an Oregon state flag flown outside the building.
Next, the group went to Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co. to tour their new CDMO laboratory, which will produce antibiotics using mRNA and antibody incubation technology. As bioscience is a growing industry in Oregon, the explanations of the lab’s technology and opportunity for academic exchange were of great interest to the group.
The group then visited the Toyama Prefectural Office for a courtesy call with Governor Nitta and other prefectural staff. Governor Nitta and the Oregon representatives discussed the upcoming Toyama Fair at the Portland Japanese Garden, as well as the International Affairs Division’s dispatch employee closely partnering with Business Oregon in future endeavors. Director Cheang also mentioned her desire to have the newly elected Governor Tina Kotek visit Toyama at the beginning of 2024 and meet directly with Governor Nitta to affirm the Oregon-Toyama partnership.
Finally, the group met again with Governor Nitta and Vice Governor Yokota, as well as Director-General Hiroshima of the Civic Affairs, Environment, and Culture Department and Director Hongo of the International Affairs Division, for a dinner that evening.
We are looking forward to welcoming more guests from Oregon in the coming year, potentially including Governor Kotek, and will continue to cooperate closely with Business Oregon in the future.
Toyama Hot News 