Keizai Koho Center held the 52nd Business Speaker Series in Denver, Colorado in cooperation with the National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS) and Keidanren USA. This luncheon event brought together leaders in the international business and economic development community in Colorado to Japanese investment into Colorado and current trends in the U.S.-Japan economic relationship.

A special welcome remark was made by the Consul-General of Japan in Denver, Mr. Yoichi Mikami. Mr. Mikami noted that relations between the United States and Japan are stronger now than at any previous time.

Ms. Antoinette Gawin, CEO of Terumo Blood & Cell Technologies, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer, talked about the importance of developing the relationship between the large staff in Colorado and the Japanese roots of the company.

Ms. Emma Chanlett-Avery, Deputy Director of the Asia Society Policy Institute, presented a fair and balanced view of areas of synergy and also areas of challenge for the United States and Japan.

Ms. Michelle Hadwiger, Director of Global Business Development of the State of Colorado, updated the audience on the results from Governor Jared Polis’s investment mission trip to Japan in 2023 and shared her thoughts on the next steps to further the business relationships between Colorado and Japan.

After the opening comments of each of the three panelists, they discussed some of the FDI statistics released in a recent JETRO report and other topics such as building positive relationships with Japanese organizations and the current geopolitical situations that affect businesses and the economy. A total of 65 guests attended the event.