Geelong hosted a Japanese business delegation on Thursday under a new strategy to drive international investment to power innovation and boost local jobs.
Japanese Deputy Consul-General Ms Natsuko Miguchi lead the group of 20 local senior executives from Japanese companies in sectors ranging from Banking and Investment to International Japanese Trading companies.
The visit was organised in large part by Advanced Fibre Cluster Geelong and featured tours of local manufacturing sites, including Carbon Nexus, Quickstep and Sykes rowing.
Geelong Gallery, as an initiating partner, also hosted an event to discuss Greater Geelong's current business, design, and innovation ties with Japan, as well as future trade and investment aspirations. Attendees included representatives from the Australia-Japan Business Council of Victoria and local business leaders.
Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan, who welcomed the delegates, said building strong and close connections with Japan was critical to the success of the new international strategy and reflected the UNESCO City of Design designation and Sister City relationship with Izumiotsu.
Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan
The City is constantly seeking to maximise collaboration in order to capitalise on opportunities that will grow the region's economy, benefiting local companies and workers.
Geelong also has a formal Sister City relationship in Japan and we are well on the way to achieving our long-term vision for Greater Geelong to be internationally recognised as a clever and creative region.
We enjoy a lot of competitive advantages, which has led to some of the fastest business growth in regional Australia. With suitable infrastructure, premier access – via road, rail, air and sea – and available land, Geelong is ideally positioned for further economic growth.
We want to attract and retain world-leading industries and services, to strengthen and further diversify our modern economy.
Delegations like this emphasise the value and importance of our International Engagement Strategy, which identifies Japan as a key market.
We’re thrilled to welcome the Japanese delegation to our City and to have the opportunity to discuss how we can strengthen ties between Japan and Greater Geelong.
The international strategy, its objectives and initiatives have been developed in alignment with the community’s 30-year Clever and Creative Future vision.
By 2047, Greater Geelong will be internationally recognised as a clever and creative city region that is forward looking, enterprising and adaptive, and cares for its people and environment.