Japan recently named Hiroshi Sato to head their consulate office in Nashville, the first country to open an office in Tennessee.  The office will promote economic partnerships, issue visas, and provide consular services to Japanese citizens residing in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.  80% of the Japanese living in the service area reside in Tennessee and Kentucky.  The consulate office was moved from New Orleans, where it was established in 1922, because of the growing presence and importance of Japanese companies in Tennessee.

• Japan ranks #5 among the state's trading partners with imports from Tennessee totaling $817 million in 2007.
• There are 160 Japanese entities registered to do business in Tennessee with over 40,000 employees in the state.
• Tennessee's three largest Japanese-owned employers are Bridgestone Americas, Denso Manufacturing Tennessee, and Nissan North America.
• These three companies employ 42% (17,000) of the Tennesseans who work for Japanese-owned companies.
• Direct suppliers of the three companies account for more than 50% of the 160 Japanese companies operating in Tennessee.

For more information, contact the Consulate-General: http://www.nashville.us.emb-japan.go.jp/

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