August 01, 2023

Duckworth Discusses Trade and U.S.-Japan Relations with Osaka Mayor

 

[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Osaka Mayor Hideyuku Yokoyama and other City of Osaka officials to discuss the importance of trade and economic investment between Japan and the United States. Since 1973, Osaka has been a sister city with Chicago, promoting cultural trade, education and tourism. As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has been committed to positioning Illinois as a global leader and has led multiple Congressional Delegations to Asia aimed at bringing major investments to our state, several of which she has already helped secure. Photos from today’s meeting are available here.

“As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I am committed to working to enhance America’s engagement around the globe, promote democracy and increase our national security,” said Duckworth. “It was an honor to meet with Mayor Hideyuku Yokoyama today to discuss the many ways our cities and nations can continue working together through trade, business investment and national security. Our nation’s standing globally is critical to ensuring we remain able to compete in the 21st century, and Illinois can benefit from the intersection of economic opportunity and business development with our allies and partners around the world.”

During today’s meeting, Duckworth also met with Hiroshi Tajima, Consul General, Consulate General of Japan in Chicago, Keiji Okamoto, Director General of Economic Strategy Bureau, City of Osaka, Mihoko Arai, Manager for International Relations, Business and International Promotion Division, City of Osaka and other officials.

Earlier this year she traveled to Japan to meet with government, trade and economic leaders as well as corporate and business officials to highlight how Illinois is uniquely positioned for greater investment and increased exports with international partners as a hub of agriculture manufacturing and technology. Following this trip, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois’s economy. 

Last year she also traveled to South Korea and Taiwan where she met with business, government and trade leaders, which helped lead to a joint venture between Illinois’s ADM and South Korea’s LG Chem, as well as a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of our state’s corn and soybeans.

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