North Carolina welcomes a historic visitor in Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida

By MAKIYA SEMINERA
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is cementing economic links and cultural amity with North Carolina by visiting the Tar Heel state after a few days in Washington focused on global security issues. Kishida toured Japanese companies in the Greensboro area Friday before a historic luncheon at the governor’s mansion in Raleigh with Gov. Roy Cooper. The governor’s office says Japan is North Carolina’s largest source of foreign direct investment. Over 200 Japanese companies have now set up shop in the state and employ over 30,000 people. Kishida said through a translator that he was honored to come to North Carolina to showcase “multilayered and strong ties.”