Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met with All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines executives to discuss new direct flight opportunities between Florida and Japan.
Florida Secretary of Commerce Laura DiBella and other members of the Florida delegation joined the Governor.
While Florida has always been a great tourist destination, major cities like Orlando and Miami continue to offer strong business opportunities for countries like Japan.
Direct flights would help those opportunities flourish in the coming years.
In the news: Florida Gov. DeSantis Discusses Partnership Opportunities With JETRO
“Florida is excited to be strengthening our relationship with Japan,” said DeSantis. “Having more opportunities to travel between Florida and Japan can boost tourism and entrepreneurship and enhance relationships between businesses in Japan and those located in Florida.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of today’s crucial conversations regarding our next steps in building upon our already strong relationship with Japan,” said Laura DiBella, Florida Secretary of Commerce and President & CEO of Enterprise Florida. “Today’s discussions were positive and informative, and I am eager to continue the conversations of bringing direct flights from Japan to the Sunshine State.”
Florida is home to two of the largest airports in the country. In 2022, Miami International Airport was the busiest airport in Florida and received a record-breaking 50.6 million visitors.
Orlando International Airport is historically one of the top ten busiest airports in the country and saw 50.1 million visitors in 2022.
On Monday, met with leaders from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). The purpose of the meeting was to celebrate the strong relationship between Florida and JETRO and to discuss partnership opportunities.
“It was a pleasure to meet with the leaders of JETRO, as they have been a great partner to Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Partners like JETRO are crucial as we look forward to continuing to find ways to work together to benefit Florida and Japan’s economic growth.”
“I am honored to have had the opportunity to meet with leaders from JETRO, some we of which I had the opportunity to meet at the SEUS Japan conference in Orlando in November last year, and some for the first time here in Japan,” said Secretary of State Cord Byrd. “I look forward to facilitating continued cultural exchanges with representatives from JETRO and Florida to strengthen Florida’s relationship with Japan.”
In the news: Florida Gov. DeSantis, First Lady Meet With Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
Florida serves as a convenient base for Japanese companies wishing to expand into the Southeastern US and into the Latin America and Caribbean region. Japan is the 6th largest foreign investor in Florida, with more than 200 Japanese companies employing more than 22,000 Floridians with holdings totaling more than $5.2 billion. Bilateral trade between Florida and Japan exceeds $6.6 billion annually, making it Florida’s 2nd largest bilateral merchandise trade partner in the Asia-Pacific region and Florida’s 7th largest partner overall.
In 2022, Japan imported approximately $636 million in goods from Florida seaports and airports. Automobiles and related products account for almost 81% of all exports from Japan to Florida, with the Port of Jacksonville consistently serving as one of the top three ports for unloading Japanese vehicles for the United States. Additionally, auto parts from Japan are shipped through Florida’s distribution centers to part centers throughout the United States.
On Tuesday, DeSantis also met with business executives from the Japanese business leaders from KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation) for a celebratory lunch following successful meetings in Japan.
The Governor is visiting with business executives and government leaders as part of an international trade mission, organized in conjunction with Enterprise Florida. Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Florida Secretary of Commerce Laura DiBella were also present at the event
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