The NAJAS/KKC Business Speaker Series titled “Investing in North Texas and the United States: Japan’s Dynamic Financial Sector” was held in cooperation with the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth.

Although its East Asian neighbor may receive many of the headlines, Japan is the #1 foreign investor into both the U.S. and North Texas economies. Japan plays a vital and essential role in the well-being of Americans’ lives, and this is a story not often shared in the media. Dallas is also home to three of Japan’s largest banks, including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), which supports over 200 Japanese companies’ operations in North Texas and the region. Moreover, financial institutions, like SMBC, are an integral part of the Japanese market as the country continues to be one of the world’s largest economies.

At this event, Mr. Hiro Hyakutome, CEO of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Americas Division made a presentation, followed by Dr. Ulrike Schaede, Professor of Japanese Business and Director of the Japan Forum for Innovation and Technology at the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy. The event was held in-person at the Westin Galleria Hotel in Dallas Texas with 46 attendees.