LANSING ? Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm said she was pleased with the results of her trade mission to Japan, saying she returns with commitments for developments that will add more jobs than she won during an earlier visit to Germany.
More importantly, she said, her visit played a role in showing Japanese executives that Michiganders have moved on from the time when they destroyed Japanese cars in protest.
Granholm was interviewed by telephone by The Associated Press, and said Japanese officials needed to hear that they are welcome in Michigan. That was different from the visit she made a year ago to Germany, because German executives already knew their business was welcome in the state.
Two companies, DENSO and Toko Rika, announced decisions to expand operations in Michigan that could add up to 500 jobs in the state. On her last day in Japan, Granholm spent time talking to more companies, hoping to convince more companies to locate in the state.
Because of past animosity towards Japanese cars, Granholm said it was critical that Japanese executives see her as the chief executive of the state telling them that Michigan wants their companies to expand here.
Helping in that message, Granholm said, was the appearance of the presidents of Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University saying their schools were eager to work with Japanese companies on research and help commercialize their results.
Granholm didn?t come home with the big prize – a new Toyota assembly plant.
Granholm met with Toyota executives early in the week, and said officials have to be realistic because so many states are interested in landing the facility. But the level of interest Toyota has in the state is encouraging because it is locating its high tech center in Washtenaw County, near Ann Arbor.
This story was provided by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on Gongwer.Com
