Day 1: Sony and Mitsubishi

I began to realize that I was well on my way to Japan when on the plane I had menu choices like scallops in miso vinegar, taro with minced chicken sauce, Japanese pickles, and green tea. Our delegation prepared to visit Sony and Mitsubishi as the first stops on our trip.

Over 200 Japanese businesses have operations in Indiana and provide 41,000 jobs. There are also 4500 Japanese citizens who live and work in Indiana. These facts alone made us all realize the importance of our trip and the strong relationships that Indiana has with the Japanese business and political communities.

Our first meeting was with Sony to thank them for the business they bring to Indiana. Attending our meeting were Naotumi Hara, senior vice president corporate executive of corporate communications and external relations and corporate social responsibility and Shiro Koike, executive deputy president of Sony. We learned of their development and use of Blue Ray technology. For this technology Sony has spent $100 million for DVD and CD production. The plant in Terre Haute is one of only two in the United States that has the capability for this type of production.

Sony stressed that they always make a commitment to the community and look at ways they can be involved. The plant in Terre Haute has always been profitable.

Our next stop was with Mitsubishi Corporation. In addition to the recent expansion plans of Indiana Packers, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi, the company announced that they will add an additional 125 jobs at the Delphi, Indiana facility. This expansion is a joint venture between Mitsubishi and Itoham Corporation. Together they will invest more than $43 million to expand the plant capacity. This is an important step toward meeting the State's goal of doubling hog production in Indiana.

We ended the day by dining in a German restaurant! Being a cosmopolitan city, this is not really unusual, but somewhat surprising. Because of limited space there is a whole "city beneath the city" in Tokyo. Under the trains are a whole series of bars and restaurants. This is where we found ourselves and enjoyed a wonderful German meal. The city is truly vibrant, very compact, and amazingly organized to accommodate a large number of people in such a small space.