Japan-Utah Business Seminar Held in Salt Lake City, Utah (February 20, 2025)
On Thursday, February 20th, the Consulate-General of Japan and World Trade Center (WTC) co-hosted a Japan-Utah business seminar, titled “Crossroads of the World: Japan," in Salt Lake City, UT. The seminar was held as a follow-up to Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s Japan visit last October.
Remarks were made by Jonathan Freedman, WTC Utah CEO, Franz Kolb, Director of International Trade, Diplomacy and Protocol at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, and Greg Bisping, Vice President of Investor Relations at Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah). Following Consul-General Okajima’s remarks, Mr. Akira Kajita, Chief Executive Director of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Los Angeles Office, gave a presentation on Japan-U.S. and Japan-Utah economic relations. The event featured a panel discussion by Japanese companies expanding its business in Utah, a Q&A by attendees, and a lively debate on future business cooperation between Japan and Utah.
The panel discussion was joined by the following panelists:
- Franz Kolb, Director of International Trade, Diplomacy and Protocol at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity
- Nozomi Markley, Senior Manager of Strategic Planning for Smart Mobility Office at Panasonic Corporation of North America
- William Myers, Director of Hydrogen Projects at Mitsubishi Power America
- Akira Kajita, Chief Executive Director of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Los Angeles Office