February 20, 2023

Duckworth in Japan, Working to Expand Investments in Illinois & Strengthen Ties

Senator’s last trip to Asia helped secure billions in investments for our state.

 

[TOKYO, JAPAN] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) arrived in Japan on a Congressional delegation she arranged in her continuing efforts to strengthen economic ties and grow that country’s investments in the United States, specifically in Illinois. In her first trip abroad as a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth will 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.

“After helping secure significant investments that are already creating good-paying jobs in Illinois on my last trip abroad, I’m looking forward to spending my time in Japan discussing mutually beneficial efforts to grow our state’s economy and meeting with leaders to discuss how we can work together to bolster trade and support jobs in the agriculture and tech sector while better protecting our nation from supply chain disruptions,” Duckworth said. “Illinois is ready to help bring our world into the future—and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure the whole world knows it.”

Duckworth will meet with a variety of businesses and leaders in Japan, including:

  • Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to discuss potential future investment in the U.S. for hydrogen technologies
  • Toyota to discuss the importance of using biofuels, like those produced in Illinois, to reduce carbon emissions and provide a stable, reliable and sustainable source of fuel
  • DMG Mori to discuss the company’s recently-announced partnership with Illinois Institute of Technology to develop an advanced manufacturing center
  • Mitsubishi Logisnext to discuss business development

The Senator will also hold individual meetings and roundtables with government and business leaders to discuss national security, agriculture exports, biofuels and more.

Duckworth’s trip to Japan builds upon the success of her trip last year 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.

Duckworth will be joined in Japan by Nancy Huynh, Senior Government Affairs Manager, Office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker; Dan Seals, CEO, Intersect Illinois and members of the Illinois Corn Growers Association.

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