NAGOYA, Japan (September 12, 2007) - Governor Mitch Daniels spent the fourth day of his weeklong mission to Japan on the road visiting current customers and prospecting for new ones.
Daniels traveled by train to Nagoya, south and west of Tokyo, and then on to Kariya City in the Aichi Prefecture, the home of Aisin Seiki, parent company of Aisin U.S.A., which produces components for door frames and seating, among other automobile components, at its plant in Seymour. The company also has several other Indiana locations.
There, the governor toured the plant and met with Mr. Kanshiro Toyoda, chairman of the company. The two were together earlier this year when Daniels and Toyoda attended the Aisin 20th anniversary celebration of the company's Seymour facility, which employs more than 2,000 people.
"We are building good customer relations, but also setting up our next business transactions," said the governor. "Our best chance to insource more jobs to Indiana are from companies already located in Indiana."
Daniels also had dinner Wednesday with Mr. Kiichi Okada, executive vice president of TS Tech Co., Ltd., and two members of the company's board. TS Tech, a Honda supplier that makes seats and interior trim pieces, announced in March that it would construct a new facility near New Castle that will employ 300 people.
The governor also met with two more companies that are considering projects in the United States.
He will conclude the mission with business meetings during the day on Thursday before attending the trip's final event, a Friends of Indiana reception that includes a Japanese baseball game.
-30-
Photos from the governor's trade mission to Japan and audio clips from radio interviews the governor has conducted during his trip are available here: http://www.in.gov/gov/3031.htm