A special relationship: Nebraska and Japan

Nebraska and Japan share a special relationship. Japan is not only our state’s largest direct foreign investor, but also our third largest export market. This week I will be leaving Nebraska and traveling to Japan on a mission to expand trade. This mission will be a great opportunity to expand trade opportunities with Japan and to make the case for additional investments to grow our state.

There are reasons why Nebraska’s relationship with Japan has flourished. We share many things in common. Our people are hardworking and loyal. We both invest deeply in our families. And we both enjoy strong communities that pull together and invest in our people.

These shared values have helped make Japan one of Nebraska’s top export markets. Nebraska’s agriculture industry, our largest sector, is a prime example of how trade with Japan is growing our state. Japan is our largest export market for beef, pork, wheat and eggs, as well as our second largest export market for corn. We export nearly $800 million worth of goods to Japan each year. This makes Japan our third largest export market. Not only is Japan one of our largest export markets, they’re also growing. Already in 2017 we’ve seen a 26 percent increase in beef exports and a 46 percent increase in pork exports over the year before. It’s clear the Japanese people value our quality products and are willing to invest in our great state.

Continue to full article.