BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — Consul-General of Japan Yusuke Shindo and his wife Seiko Shindo hosted a reception for invited guests at their residence in Blomfield Hills, Michigan on Friday evening, Feb. 23. Guests in attendance included community and business leaders from Michigan and Ohio, representatives from the Japanese community, and members of the Consular Corps. Mayor Mike Barhorst and his wife Jenny were among the invited guests.

In his prepared remarks, Shindo spoke about the deep connections between Japan and the United States and in particular, the two states under the Consulate’s jurisdiction, Michigan and Ohio. He pointed out that the region is the home to approximately 14,000 Japanese residents in Michigan and another 10,000 in Ohio.

He also noted that there are presently approximately 500 Japanese business offices operating in each of the two states, making significant contributions to their local economies.

“These operations, anchored in local communities, contribute to the strengthening of grassroots-level connections between the United States and Japan,” Shindo said.

Shindo also spoke about the value of Sister-City relationships, and how those relationships strengthen the cultural and business ties between Japan and the United States. After several years of working toward a relationship with a Japanese city, a small delegation from Sidney is poised to visit Ichihara City in May to initiate a relationship with that city.

Emperor Naruhito acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1, 2019, beginning the Reiwa era, following the abdication of his father, Akihito. He is the 126th Japanese monarch.

In addition to a wide variety of sake, traditional Japanese foods were also served. The formal program also included both the national anthems of the United States and Japan. The formal program concluded with a toast to the Emperor.

“Jenny and I had a wonderful time,” Barhorst said upon his return. “It was good to see so many individuals with whom I have worked over the years.”

“Sidney and Shelby County have benefitted greatly from Japanese investment,” Barhorst said. “People tend to have short memories, but when I first joined city council in 1977, Sidney had the highest per capita unemployment rate in the State of Ohio. When I left office twelve years later, we had the lowest per capita unemployment rate in the state.”

“The dramatic turnaround was the result of a lot of hard work on the part of many, but was due in large part to Honda’s decision to locate their engine plant nearby. That decision prompted NK Parts, Advanced Composites, Hexa-Americas and Sankyo America to locate in Sidney,”Barhorst said. “We cannot forget that it was Japanese investment that helped to fuel Sidney and Shelby County’s economic recovery.”