Introduction

Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis Leads California Trade Delegation to Japan
Office of Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, March 22, 2023

From March 12 – March 17, 2023 a delegation of California businesses and state agencies led by Lieutenant Governor Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis and Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom and Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, traveled to Tokyo and Osaka for a trade mission to advance business, collaboration and partnership between California and Japan.

Memorandum of Cooperation signed between California Governor Gavin Newsom and Japanese Ambassador Koji Tomita in March 2022

The delegation was made up of 55 private sector leaders from the agriculture, airlines, energy, and clean-technology sectors, as well as approximately 20 representatives from an array of state agencies. There was an additional group of tourism companies and associations, as well – bringing the entire California delegation to 100.

The trade mission builds on the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between California Governor Gavin Newsom and Japanese Ambassador Koji Tomita in March 2022 to tackle climate change and strengthen trade relations.

(From left) California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis; Hiroshi Kawamura, Consul General of Japan in San Francisco; Japanese Ambassador Koji Tomita; CalChamber President and CEO Jennifer Barrera; Dee Dee Myers, Director, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).

On March 21, 2022 the California Chamber of Commerce hosted a reception for Japan’s Ambassador to the U.S., Koji Tomita, at our offices.

This trade mission presents a unique opportunity for California participants to explore business opportunities, showcase products and services, and build new partnerships in Japan.

California and Japan have longstanding ties and a historic relationship. In recognition of our important bond, we are delighted to lead a delegation of California leaders – policymakers, business executives, and key decisionmakers – on a trade mission to Japan. We are focused on strengthening our partnership with Japan to tackle climate change, bolstering the clean energy economy, and kickstarting new investments and trade opportunities between California and Japanese businesses. Together, we can build a sustainable future for all.

Trade Overview

Japan is the world’s third largest economy and the United States’ fourth largest export partner. The U.S. is a large supplier of chemicals, transportation equipment, and computer and electronic products to Japan. Japan is also one of the largest U.S. foreign markets for agricultural products.

U.S. exports to Japan were $80.317 billion in 2022, a 7.7% increase from 2021. While U.S. imports from Japan to the United States were $148.33 billion in 2022, representing a 9.9% increase from 2021.

Trade & Investment with California

Japan is also California’s fourth largest export partner. California exports totaled $11.607 billion in 2022, representing a 1.6% decrease from 2021. Imports into California from Japan were $29.367 billion in 2022, representing a 31.21% increase from 2021.

In California, Japan is the largest source of FDI through foreign-owned enterprises (FOEs). Japanese FOEs in California in 2021 provided 105,053 jobs through 3,523 firms amounting to $10.978 billion in wages.

U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement

In 2018, the U.S. and Japan announced negotiations towards a potential U.S.-Japan FTA. The first round of U.S.-Japan trade talks began in April 2019 and by September a limited free trade agreement was reached. In early December, Japan’s upper house of parliament approved the limited trade deal. No ratification was needed by the U.S. Congress, allowing the deal to go into effect on January 1, 2020.

The limited agreement opened market access for certain U.S. agricultural and industrial goods in Japan. Now that the agreement has been implemented, over 90% of U.S. food and agricultural products imported into Japan are either duty free or receive preferential tariff access. The agreement gave American farmers and ranchers the same advantages as CP-TPP countries selling into the Japanese market. In return, the U.S. reduced or eliminated tariffs on agricultural and industrial imports from Japan.

There was also a separate agreement between the U.S. and Japan reached on high-standard digital trade. The agreement contained prohibitions on imposing customs duties on digital products sent electronically, as well as ensure barrier-free cross-border data transfers in all sectors, among other things. The U.S.-Japan Digital Trade agreement was approved by Japan’s Diet concurrently, and also went into effect on January 1, 2020.

Tourism

Prior to the pandemic in 2019, there were 555,000 visitor trips from Japan to California which accounted for $1.37 billion of spending in the state. In 2019, there were 511 monthly non-stop flights between California and Japan. As of September 2022, 75% of airlift from Japan to California has recovered. (Visit California)

Press Releases:

Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis Leads California Trade Delegation to Japan
Office of Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, March 22, 2023

RECAP: Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis and GO-Biz Director Dee Dee Myers Lead California Trade Delegation to Japan
GO-Biz, March 22, 2023

California and Japan Partner to Bolster Economic Relations and Trade, Tackle Climate Change
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, March 21, 2022

From the CEO: Japan Mission
Visit California, April 2023

Memorandums of Understanding:

California and Japan to Collaborate on Clean Ports and Shipping
CalSTA, March 15, 2023

Port of Los Angeles Signs Agreements with Tokyo and Yokohama Ports to Establish Green Shipping Corridor
Port of Los Angeles, March 16, 2023

Memorandum of Understanding between Keidanren (Japanese Business Federation) and the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
GO-Biz, March 14, 2023

Memorandum of Cooperation on Strengthening Efforts to Combat Climate Change and Economic and Trade Relations Between the Government of Japan and the State of California, the United States of America
March 21, 2022

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#CAJAPAN2023

2023 California Japan Trade Mission

March 12-17 | Tokyo and Osaka

Days 1 and 2

Day 1 – Arrival & Welcome

The delegation arrived on Sunday, March 12 after late morning flights from California the day prior. After the 10-hour flights, the delegates were greeted at the airport by the trade mission staff and escorted to the hotel. The delegation stayed at The Okura Tokyo Hotel, known for its traditional Japanese beauty, and proximity to the U.S. Embassy in Japan.

Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis greets the nearly 100 California Delegates at at Welcome Reception emphasizing the importance of the California-Japan trade and investment relationship.

Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis gave welcome remarks to the group at a brief welcome reception and thanked everyone for being a part of the trade mission. Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), also spoke, as did the only member of California’s Legislature to join the trade mission, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance).

The trade mission was held in conjunction with a mission led by California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross and a Tourism component of Visit California and their President and CEO, Caroline Beteta. Caroline gave a few welcome remarks as well.

Connect Worldwide (CWW), the in-country organizing team, gave a quick briefing on Japanese cultural business etiquette, as Japanese culture is based on the foundation of respect.

Day 2 – Embassy Briefing, Climate Summit & Ambassador’s Reception

Monday in Japan was off to a busy start, although the Japanese prefer a later-morning start time, the delegates were off and running by 8:00 a.m. The delegation gathered at The Okura for a briefing from U.S. government officials, including an in-market briefing from the U.S. Commercial Service.

The delegates heard a more formal welcome from the Lt. Governor, GoBiz Director Dee Dee Myers, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross, and Visit California President Caroline Beteta — who showed the latest 30-second ad that will run at Shibuya Crossing, the largest pedestrian crossing in the world with 2 million crossing each day. Assemblymember Muratsuchi, representing Torrance, indicated his district has the largest concentration of Japanese companies in the United States. In addition, California has the largest community of Japanese descendants in the world. Further, there are more than 100 sister city relationships between California and Japan.

The U.S. Commercial Service, including a briefing from Deputy Chief of Mission Ray Greene — touched on the state of business in Japan and updates regarding the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), as San Francisco is set to host the APEC Leaders’ Summit this fall. There was a country briefing from the political, economic, ag, press team. All concluded that relations between the United States and Japan have never been better, and this is a most opportune time for the California delegation to visit. The embassy also indicated that this was the largest state delegation they had experienced. From the media side, Japan is the second largest market for Twitter; however, the top five newspapers are still important. Japan is working on moving away from paper to a more digital society, but that is somewhat difficult with the aging population. Digitizing the medical community, as well as new medical technologies, would be very helpful to Japan. In agriculture, with the aging society, farming is also being cut back. The average farm size in Japan is 4 acres whereas in the United States, it is approximately 400 acres. The system will be difficult to sustain in the future and now 60% of daily calorie intake is comprised of imported food. On the defense side, spending is doubling over the next five years, and Japan will become the third largest military provider in the world. Japan plays a very important role in the recent creation of the Quad.

The Quad, or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a group composed of the U.S., Australia, India and Japan. The Quad began with a focus on maritime cooperation but has evolved to work on a broader agenda of security, economy and health issues in the region. All four countries are democracies with vibrant economies in the Indo-Pacific region, of which $1.9 trillion worth of U.S. trade passed through in 2019, representing 42% of the world’s exports and 38% of the world’s imports, according to the United Nations.

After the morning meeting, the delegates were off to the first official trade mission activity – the California-Japan Climate Summit at the Tokyo Hilton.

Susanne Stirling, CalChamber VP of international affairs, meets with friends Glen S. Fukushima, former president of AmCham Japan (left) and Steve Matsuura, former president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California (right) at the Climate Summit in Japan.

The Climate Summit’s purpose was to highlight the significant climate-related collaborations between California and Japan, and discuss California and Japan’s major government policies on decarbonization.

The Climate Summit follows the March 2022 Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between Governor Gavin Newsom and Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. Koji Tomita. The MOC included a framework between California and Japan to focus on the two common objectives of strengthening climate-related activities and promoting renewable, clean energy; and deepening our trade and investment relationship, including providing opportunities for business exchange and exploring investments in clean energy vehicles.

Panel discussion on opportunities in the renewable energy transformation.

The delegation, along with local Japanese attendees, had an early lunch while listening to remarks from Lt. Governor Kounalakis, Dee Dee Myers, as well as Papia Gambelin from United Airlines. This was followed by keynote remarks by Liane Randolph, Chair of the California Air Resources Board, and Wataru Takahama, Director of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Panel discussion on decarbonizing ports and critical infrastructure, featuring CalChamber Board Member Kerry Hattevik.Kerry Hattevik, NextEra Energy

This was followed by panel discussions on opportunities in the renewable energy transformation; the role of hydrogen in the energy transition; decarbonizing ports and critical infrastructure; and climate smart agriculture and working lands. The panels featured various members of our California delegation, as well as some of their Japanese counterparts, including CalChamber Board member Kerry Hattevik, VP of Policy Development at NextEra Energy.

In addition, California Chamber member company Southern California Edison was represented by panelist Caroline Choi, senior vice president, and member Alaska Airlines was represented by Diana Rakow, senior vice president.

The Port of Los Angeles signed an MOU with longtime partner, the Port of Yokohama. We learned that in California one in five or 20% of vehicles are electric, while in Japan the figure is 34%.

U.S. Ambassador’s Residence in Tokyo

After the Climate Summit, the delegation headed back to The Okura for some downtime before the evening reception at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence — following a quick group picture to commemorate the trade mission. Japan is 16 hours ahead of California.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emmanuel

Next, the delegation gathered again and was excited to head toward the U.S. Embassy for a reception at the Ambassador’s residence. At the reception, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emmanuel gave remarks. The ambassador discussed the historic events that had taken place in the residence, including the meeting of General MacArthur and the Japanese Emperor at the conclusion of World War II. Each of the rooms upstairs in the residence is named, but most recently President Joe Biden was in Japan and named the dining room after just-deceased California congressman and cabinet member, Norman Mineta.

Ambassador Emmanuel has been the U.S. Ambassador to Japan since December 2021, previously serving as the Mayor of Chicago.

The reception provided a great opportunity for delegates to network among key partners in Japan.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel welcomes the California delegation.(From left) CalChamber Board member Margaret Wong, President & CEO, McWong International; U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel; and CalChamber member Nicole Van Vleck, President & CEO, Montna Farms/2023 Chair of the CA Rice Commission.

Day 1 – Arrival & Welcome

Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis greets the nearly 100 California Delegates at at Welcome Reception emphasizing the importance of the California-Japan trade and investment relationship.

Connect Worldwide (CWW), the in-country organizing team, gave a quick briefing on Japanese cultural business etiquette, as Japanese culture is based on the foundation of respect.

Day 2 – Embassy Briefing, Climate Summit & Ambassador’s Reception

After the morning meeting, the delegates were off to the first official trade mission activity – the California-Japan Climate Summit at the Tokyo Hilton.

Panel discussion on opportunities in the renewable energy transformation.

Panel discussion on decarbonizing ports and critical infrastructure, featuring CalChamber Board Member Kerry Hattevik.Kerry Hattevik, NextEra Energy

The Port of Los Angeles signed an MOU with longtime partner, the Port of Yokohama. We learned that in California one in five or 20% of vehicles are electric, while in Japan the figure is 34%.

U.S. Ambassador’s Residence in Tokyo

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emmanuel

Ambassador Emmanuel has been the U.S. Ambassador to Japan since December 2021, previously serving as the Mayor of Chicago.

The reception provided a great opportunity for delegates to network among key partners in Japan.

Day 3 – Trade & Investment Forum, AmCham Lunch, Panasonic & Taste of California

Tuesday was packed full of activities. The day started at the California Trade and Investment Forum at Keidanren. Keidanren is Japan’s business federation, made up of more than 1,500 members who represent Japan’s companies, industry associations, and regional economic organizations.

Before the forum began, the Lt. Governor and Dee Dee Myers had a private Memorandum of Understanding signing with Keidanren to create a California Trade and Investment Desk in Tokyo.

https://advocacy.calchamber.com/international/trade-missions/2013-china-trade-mission/

The forum’s intent was to highlight the importance of economic ties between California and Japan. Representatives from Keidanren and the Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO) were in attendance.

The California delegation along with local Japanese attendees again heard welcome remarks from the Lt. Governor and Dee Dee Myers, as well as remarks from Diana Birkett Rakow from Alaska Airlines, and Shigeru Hayakawa, Chair of Keidanren’s Committee on U.S. Affairs and Chief Office of Public Affairs for Toyota.

Next, the audience heard spotlights on companies that had investment partnerships to announce with Japan, including the delegation’s own MOTE and First Element Fuel. We also heard from several other members of the delegation who are interested in expanding into Japan.

This was followed by an investor and business outlook. The keynote was given by delegation member Joe Cappello, CEO of Iwatani. Next came a panel discussion featuring California and Japanese government representatives explaining why foreign investment matters.

The Trade and Investment Forum wrapped up and it was time to head to the Tokyo American Club for a luncheon with the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ).

The Tokyo American Club was first founded in 1928 and is a hub of international exchange in the city. The AmCham Japan naturally has a partnership with the club. AmCham Japan ACCJ was established in 1948 to further develop commerce between the U.S. and Japan, with more than 3,000 members from 600 companies, 40 countries, and three offices in Japan. AmCham Japan displays its commitment to improve the international business environment in Japan.

Glen S. Fukushima

At the AmCham Japan Luncheon the group again mingled with their Japanese counterparts and then was welcomed by ACCJ’s Hannah Perry of AIG Japan Holdings, and heard remarks from Om Prakash, President of AmCham Japan; the Lt. Governor; and Glen S. Fukushima, a member of the California delegation who was ACCJ President from 1998–1999 and a longtime member of the AmCham Board.

This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by ACCJ’s Ian Burkheimer of World Kinect Energy Services and including some members of the CalChamber Board of Directors: Margaret Wong, President and CEO of McWong International; and Sandra Floyd, President and CEO of OUTSOURCE Consulting together; along with ACCJ member Rebecca Green, Partner, Asia-Pacific Technology Sector Lead at ERM and Vice Chair of the ACCJ Women in Business committee; and Glen S. Fukushima, former ACCJ President and former U.S. Deputy Trade Representative.

Margaret Wong, President/CEO – McWong International, Inc. – Energy Resources

McWong is one of the leading IOT and Smart Lighting manufacturers in the United States with more than 35 years of history and headquarters in Sacramento, California. McWong has been a key U.S. lighting power supply components supplier to major OEM companies, as well as energy-efficient companies for commercial and industrial applications. McWong recently has been awarded eight major industry awards for its focus on “Clean and Efficient Energy” and “Networking Lighting” innovations. McWong involves global supply chains from China, Vietnam, Mexico, Korea and Japan. McWong’s current innovative projects involve UVC/LED lighting to provide indoor air treatment solutions; LED/Sensors/Bluetooth technology to provide organic farming solutions. McWong believes network IOT lighting is the future for clean energy and efficiency.

Sandra Floyd, President/CEO – OUTSOURCE Consulting Services, Inc. – CA/Japan Workforce Management Solutions

OCSI partners with government agencies and Fortune 500 companies to provide best-in-class human workforce management solutions. OUTSOURCE delivers quality and is committed to exceptional performances from their personnel with expertise supporting cyber security, mass rail transportation, and nuclear energy projects. OUTSOURCE works closely with federal, state, and local government agencies and large prime contractors to enhance service delivery, increase efficiency, and enhance the quality of public service contracts. OCSI.co is working specifically with Hitachi Rail, STS headquartered in Japan. OCSI.co recently signed a local California project-specific agreement with Hitachi Rail to provide talent on a 9-year Computer Based Train Control upgrade project (CBTC).

Our thanks to Hannah Perry, Vice Chair of the ACCJ Sustainability Committee, Ian Burkheimer Co-Chair of the ACCJ Energy Committee, together with Ayako Nakano and Joey Vetter of the AmCham.

After the AmCham luncheon, the group headed to a site visit at Panasonic where we were greeted by employees waving U.S. and Japanese flags.

Panasonic welcoming the California to Japan Trade Mission.

At Panasonic, the delegation was met by the CEO of the company who personally welcomed the delegation. From there the delegates were split into two groups and took turns touring various portions of the campus while learning about the company’s green impact and innovation initiatives. We toured the Panasonic Center, which included a video presentation on Panasonic’s green impact; the Future District, which is not yet open to the public, and features Panasonic’s latest technological solutions; and an overview of the Fujisawa Smart City.

California to Japan Trade Mission delegates at Panasonic.

After a long day of events; the delegation returned to The Okura for a couple hours of downtime before the evening Taste of California Reception hosted by Visit California.

The Taste of California Reception was an exciting representation of all that California has to offer. Representatives from California’s tourism, agriculture, and wine industries showcased California’s diverse destinations and products.

Taste of California ReceptionThe CalChamber’s Susanne Stirling, VP of international affairs, with Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis at the Taste of California Reception.

The California delegation was joined by other local Japanese attendees and heard remarks from the Lt. Governor, Dee Dee Myers, Visit California’s Caroline Beteta, Secretary Karen Ross of the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission.

Taste of CaliforniaTaste of CaliforniaPainting of Los Angeles Angels Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani by California artist David Garibaldi.

Day 4 – Smart Energy Week, JFE Fujimi Waste to Energy Plant & A Sushi-Making Class

The delegation convened in the lobby of The Okura to depart for the Smart Energy Week trade show, the largest renewable energy trade show in Japan, held at Tokyo Big Sight.

The trade mission was anchored around the Smart Energy Week trade show where California hosted a pavilion that featured six of the delegates’ companies.

Mariana Guevara of GO-Biz pictured with the California delegation’s Smart Energy Week exhibitors.

We were given some time to explore the California pavilion and other exhibitors in the hall before enjoying a bento box lunch.

The California Pavilion Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) booth promotes California companies with Dee Dee Myers, Director of GO-Biz (2d from left,) Mariana Guevara of GO-Biz and the CalChamber’s Nikki Ellis.Green Grid Inc., members of the California delegation, display their company’s technology at their booth at the Smart Energy Week Trade Show.Keynote and special session speakers at the Smart Energy Week Trade Show.

Next, the delegation attended the California Keynote Session where we heard a keynote address by Liane Randolph, Chair of the California Air Resources Board, regarding California’s policy plan for reaching carbon neutrality. This was followed by a second keynote from David Hochschild, Chair of the California Energy Commission, on California’s drive to decarbonize and leading California to a 100% clean energy future. This was followed by a panel discussion that featured the two keynote speakers, as well as Tyson Eckerle from GO-Biz and Tim McRae from the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.

After the California Keynote Session, the delegation split into several groups, with some choosing to visit JFE’s Fujimi Waste to Energy Plant.

Dinner was a sushi-making class in the Ginza district of Tokyo.

Day 5 – Toyota City & the Shinkansen to Osaka

Thursday was a very early wake-up call for the entire delegation. We were up and in the lobby by 6:00 a.m. to head to the Shinkansen bullet train for the first leg of our day’s journey to Nagoya. Nagoya, capital of Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, is a manufacturing and shipping hub in central Honshu.

The Shinkansen is Japan’s network of bullet trains which take passengers to all different corners of the county. The bullet train reaches top speeds of 199 mph (320 kmh). Our end destination of Osaka was just over a two-hour train ride away, but would have taken more than 8 hours by car!

The bullet train was an interesting experience, very clean and very busy. We were served authentic Japanese breakfast bento boxes during the ride.

We arrived in Nagoya a little after 9:00 a.m. and everyone moved quickly to get off the train and head toward the buses, where we were met by representatives from Toyota. They welcomed the group and helped load us all onto the buses to head toward Toyota City.

Once at Toyota City, the group received a tour of Toyota’s Shimoyama Plant and their fuel cell development facility.

Toyota Welcomes the 2023 California Japan Clean Energy Trade Mission.Fuel Cell Bus

Toyota provided the group lunch and then gave a presentation to the group before we explored the Toyota Automobile Museum.

ToyotaToyota Automobile Museum

In the afternoon, the Toyota representatives escorted the delegation back to the Nagoya Shinkansen Station to complete the second leg of our journey to Osaka. Osaka is a large port city and commercial center on the Japanese island of Honshu.

After a short hour train ride, the delegation finally arrived in Osaka, and another quick bus ride brought us to our final hotel, The Hilton Osaka.

At this point, it had been a long day with an early start, but many of the delegates rallied for a group dinner at the Mekiki in Ginj Izakaya.

Day 6 – Port of Kobe & Osaka-Sister State Farewell Reception

We met in the Hilton lobby shortly after 8:00 a.m. to head to the day’s first site visit.

The group split into two with some delegates visiting Daikin’s innovation center for a tour, while others toured Iwatani’s HydroEdge facility.

Daikin Group PhotoDaikin Innovation Center art of the shadow of a running man.Sarah Jo Szambelan, California Air Resources Board, and Nikki Ellis, CalChamber, inside the EMF-proof room at Daikin.DaikinDaikinDaikinDaikin

After having lunch at the site visit, the delegation departed for an hour drive to the city of Kobe.

We first arrived at the Port of Kobe and the delegation received a much-awaited boat tour of the port on a 125-foot ship.

The Port of Kobe, located at the foot of the beautiful Rokko Mountains, can be called the “port of the attractive sceneries.” Kobe city has become an international city resulting from the active port. Kobe Port is one of the world’s oldest ports, but also continues to modernize.

The Port of Kobe originally was an excellent natural harbor that flourished as the trading hub with China and the Korean peninsula during ancient and medieval times. Opened as a major Japanese international port in 1868, the Port of Kobe has supported many Japanese lives and industries since then, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.

We also received a briefing on the Port of Kobe hydrogen facilities.

Through initiatives such as the formation of a Carbon-Neutral Port (CNP) to achieve decarbonization through the utilization of hydrogen and other next-generation energy sources, the Port of Kobe will continue to develop as part of an international port city that adapts with the times.

The delegation then drove 15 minutes to The Okura Kobe Hotel to meet with Kobe city officials from the Kobe Environment Bureau, the Port and Harbor Bureau, as well as representatives from Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

Meeting with Kobe City officials.Meeting with Kobe City officials.(From left) Margaret Wong, President & CEO, McWong International; Secretary Karen Ross, CDFA; Dee Dee Myers, Director of GO-Biz; and Harumi Hata, Partner, Buchalter APC.

After the meeting, the delegation departed for the hour-long bus ride back to Osaka to prepare for the final evening’s activity.

The trade mission concluded with a Farewell Reception at the Hilton Osaka to celebrate the Osaka-California sister-state relationship. The California-Osaka Sister-State Relationship was established in September 1994 with an Assembly concurrent resolution.

Sake barrel-breaking ceremony to commemorate the sister-state relationship.Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (Torrance, 66) (left) presents the Assembly joint resolution on the California-Osaka sister-state relationship.

Osaka will hold Expo 2025 a World Expo organized and sanctioned by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). It will take place for six months during 2025, opening April 13, 2025 and closing October 13, 2025. This will be Osaka’s third time as a World Expo host; it previously hosted Expo 1970 and Expo 1990. The event will return to its traditional five-year scheduling cycle after the Expo 2020 was delayed to 2021 and 2022 due to COVID. Approximately 28 million visitors are expected. The theme for the expo is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.”

Osaka Sister-State Reception sake barrel-breaking ceremony.

The Osaka Prefecture government joined the California delegation for a celebratory sake barrel-breaking ceremony and a reception. The reception also included a performance of a traditional Japanese dance from the Osaka region. Together with the sake barrel-breaking ceremony, this made for a memorable final evening for the trade mission.

Our hosts included prefecture government officials together with members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Osaka, and representatives from the U.S. Consulate General posted in the city.

The Farewell Reception concluded, and we all headed back to our rooms to pack for our return flights to California the next day.

Kuromon Market

Our hosts in Japan were most informative and gracious, allowing our group to see many different sides of Japan. The delegation returned with a number of experiences from the past week in Japan and looks forward to developing new networks that will advance our state’s connection to the bilateral relationship with Japan.

The Lieutenant Governor with her vast ambassadorial, diplomatic, and international trade experience was, once again, a polished and experienced co-leader of this international delegation. Dee Dee Myers, Director of GO-Biz, brought her deep expertise on economic development, emphasizing the importance of public-private partnerships and paving the way for additional trade and commercial engagement with Japan.

The CalChamber’s Susanne Stirling, VP of International Affairs, and Nikki Ellis, International Affairs Specialist pose with the Osaka Expo 2025 mascot.

A special thanks to my assistant, Nikki Ellis, who provided the research for the blog, accompanied the delegation on the mission, and was extremely helpful in the advance planning and logistics. And thanks to Kurt Barneson, CalChamber Director of Finance. My continued appreciation goes to our CalChamber Communications Department, who always are willing to assist in promoting international trade and investment.

And thanks to the entire California Japan Mission organizing team, including our in-market partner Marjorie Dewey and the team at CWW! The Lt. Governor’s Office and GO-Biz staff took the lead and was key to a successful mission.

The trade mission advance team made up of staff from the CalChamber, GO-Biz, and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office on the bus (not pictured: Evan Reade and Aleksandra Reetz from the Office of Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis; and Henan Li and Mariana Guevara from GO-Biz).

2023 California Japan Trade Mission – Delegates

The entire 100-member California delegation was made up of representatives from business, agriculture, energy, tourism, and state government.

Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis

Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis was sworn in as the 50th Lieutenant Governor of California by Governor Gavin Newsom on January 7th, 2019. She is the first woman elected Lt. Governor of California. A native Californian, she visited each of the state’s 58 counties during her historic campaign. In addition to her duties as Lt. Governor, Kounalakis is California’s Representative for International Affairs and Trade, appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom by executive order in February 2019 which was renewed in December 2022.

From 2010 to 2013, Kounalakis served as President Barack Obama’s Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary. Kounalakis was the first Greek-American woman – and at age 43 one of America’s youngest – to serve as U.S. Ambassador. Her highly acclaimed memoir, “Madam Ambassador, Three Years of Diplomacy, Dinner Parties and Democracy in Budapest” (The New Press, 2015), chronicles the onset of Hungary’s democratic backsliding.

Governor Jerry Brown appointed Kounalakis to chair the California Advisory Council for International Trade and Investment in 2014. Kounalakis was a Virtual Fellow at the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) between 2014 and 2017, specializing in international trade and immigration. She is currently a director of the Association of American Ambassadors and a National Democratic Institute (NDI) “Ambassadors Circle” advisor.

Prior to her public service, Kounalakis was president of AKT Development, where she worked for 18 years. She built master-planned communities and delivered quality most prominent businesswomen.

From the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, Chief of Staff Matthew Dumlao, International Affairs Advisor Evan Reade, and Deputy Chief of Staff Aleksandra Reetz helped to make the mission to Japan possible.

Director Dee Dee Myers

Dee Dee Myers is Senior Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom and Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. She brings more than three decades of experience in strategic communications, public affairs, corporate governance and social responsibility in both the public and private sectors. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President, Worldwide Corporate Communications and Public Affairs for Warner Bros. She was a member of the company’s executive committee and advised the CEO on a wide range of issues. Prior to joining Warner Bros., Ms. Myers served as Managing Director of the Glover Park Group.

Ms. Myers served as White House Press Secretary during President Bill Clinton’s first term and was the first woman to hold the position. After leaving the White House, she worked as a political analyst, commentator and writer as well as a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. She is the author of The New York Times best-selling book “Why Women Should Rule the World” and served as a consultant on the Emmy Award-winning drama series “The West Wing.”

Before joining the Clinton presidential campaign in 1991, Ms. Myers worked on a number of local, state and national campaigns. She served as press secretary for Dianne Feinstein in her 1990 bid for governor of California and worked on the presidential campaigns of Governor Michael S. Dukakis and Vice President Walter F. Mondale. She also worked on the staffs of Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and California State Senator Art Torres.

From the Office of Business and Economic Development, Deputy Director of International Affairs and Trade Emily Desai, Asia Trade & Investment Representative Henan Li, Foreign Direct Investment Specialist Maria Onorato, International Trade Program Specialist Mariana Guevara, and International Investment and Research Analyst Claire Gordon helped to make the mission to Japan possible.

State Agencies Participating:

Secretary Karen Ross, CDFASecretary Toks Omishakin, CalSTAChair Liane Randolph, CARBChair David Hochschild, CECCommissioner Patty Monahan, CECCaroline Beteta, Visit California

The delegation was accompanied by California’s only legislative member of Japanese descent, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi.

Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi

The Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco was also represented by Deputy Consul General, Jimmy Kishimori.

Susanne Stirling, CalChamber VP of international affairs, with Deputy Consul General Jimmy Kishimori, Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco.

The California Japan Trade Mission was organized in collaboration with the international team from the Lt. Governor’s Office and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). The California Chamber of Commerce served as a logistics partner.

Matt Dumlao, chief of staff to Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis recognizes and thanks the mission team, including from left to right: Nikki Ellis, international affairs specialist, CalChamber; Evan Reade, international advisor to the lieutenant governor; and from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GoBiz): Claire Gordon, international investment and research analyst; Mariana Guevara, international trade program specialist; Maria Onorato, foreign direct investment specialist; and Emily Desai, deputy director for international affairs and trade. (Not pictured: Aleksandra Reetz, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Lt. Governor Kounalakis; and Henan Li, Trade Representative for Asia, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development)

CalChamber Participants

The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) was represented on the delegation by Susanne Stirling, Vice President of International Affairs as well as by Nikki Ellis, International Affairs Specialist.

The CalChamber had six board members participate on the trade mission. Another six board member companies also sent representatives to participate in the trade mission, in addition to other member companies, for a total of 20 CalChamber members.

Greetings from Toyko featuring CalChamber Board Member trade mission participants. (From left to right): Sandra Floyd, President & CEO, OUTSOURCE Consulting Services, Inc.; Margaret Wong, President & CEO, McWong International; Kerry Hattevik, VP National Policy Development, NextEra Energy; Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development; Susanne Stirling, Vice President of International Affairs, CalChamber; Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California; Maryam Brown, President & CEO, SoCal Gas; Jennifer Haley, President & CEO, Kern Energy; Sima Patel, President & CEO, Ridgemont Hospitality; and Nikki Ellis, International Affairs Specialist, CalChamber.The Agriculture delegation of the Japan Trade Mission.