Celebration of Montana-Japan Relations to be Held at the Capitol Rotunda
Photo Information
HELENA, Mont. – The Japan Consulate General in Seattle, the lead organization that upholds Japan’s connections with Montana, will host a reception in celebration of this relationship at the Capitol Rotunda in Helena on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 5 p.m.
Paul Green, director of the Montana Department of Commerce, said, “Japan is one of Montana’s top trading partners and longest-standing diplomatic relationships, with ties across agriculture, education, manufacturing, culture and diplomacy that touch every corner of our state.” Green added, “Japan is consistently a top buyer of Montana products, purchasing over $240 million in exports from us last year.”
While roughly the size of Montana, Japan has 123 million people to our 1.1 million. The relationship between Japan and Montana is rooted in the legacy of Ambassador Mike Mansfield from Butte, the longest serving ambassador to Japan, and our sister state relationship with Kumamoto Prefecture, established in 1982.
Today, these strong connections are supported by the international teams at the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture. Additionally, Montana-Japan relationships can be seen in exchanges between local museums and art centers. Kumamoto’s Amakusa Dinosaur Museum and the Carter County Museum in Ekalaka send students and paleontologists back and forth in the pursuit of dinosaur fossils, while a traveling troop of actors from Missoula Children’s Theatre is funded each year to perform in Kumamoto.
Nikki Geiszler, executive director of the Montana World Affairs Council, said, "International relationships are vital to our towns and communities. We have a rich history with the Japanese Consulate, building bridges between students in Montana and Japan through our programs, such as Academic WorldQuest, EconoQuest and Virtual Exchanges. We value this important relationship with the Consulate and are honored to support this event in our state."
Commerce invites you to learn about these connections from the organizations and companies participating in the reception on Jan. 22. Consul General Iyori Makoto of Japan is scheduled to speak on the larger picture of US-Japan relations.
RSVPs are required and requested by Jan. 21, 2025. RSVP by emailing rthompson@montanaworldaffairs.org.
Paul Green, director of the Montana Department of Commerce, said, “Japan is one of Montana’s top trading partners and longest-standing diplomatic relationships, with ties across agriculture, education, manufacturing, culture and diplomacy that touch every corner of our state.” Green added, “Japan is consistently a top buyer of Montana products, purchasing over $240 million in exports from us last year.”
While roughly the size of Montana, Japan has 123 million people to our 1.1 million. The relationship between Japan and Montana is rooted in the legacy of Ambassador Mike Mansfield from Butte, the longest serving ambassador to Japan, and our sister state relationship with Kumamoto Prefecture, established in 1982.
Today, these strong connections are supported by the international teams at the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture. Additionally, Montana-Japan relationships can be seen in exchanges between local museums and art centers. Kumamoto’s Amakusa Dinosaur Museum and the Carter County Museum in Ekalaka send students and paleontologists back and forth in the pursuit of dinosaur fossils, while a traveling troop of actors from Missoula Children’s Theatre is funded each year to perform in Kumamoto.
Nikki Geiszler, executive director of the Montana World Affairs Council, said, "International relationships are vital to our towns and communities. We have a rich history with the Japanese Consulate, building bridges between students in Montana and Japan through our programs, such as Academic WorldQuest, EconoQuest and Virtual Exchanges. We value this important relationship with the Consulate and are honored to support this event in our state."
Commerce invites you to learn about these connections from the organizations and companies participating in the reception on Jan. 22. Consul General Iyori Makoto of Japan is scheduled to speak on the larger picture of US-Japan relations.
RSVPs are required and requested by Jan. 21, 2025. RSVP by emailing rthompson@montanaworldaffairs.org.
Tags: Business and Press Release
