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The Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta was commended by lawmakers in both houses of Georgia’s legislature Feb. 1 as it celebrated its 49th anniversary of its establishment in the state.
New Consul General Mio Maeda received separate proclamations on the floors of the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives Wednesday at the Capitol.
The measures, House Resolution 44 and Senate Resolution 16, were introduced by members of the Georgia-Japan Legislative Caucus, a group of nearly 50 lawmakers formed in 2019 to highlight the importance of Georgia’s ties with the world’s third largest economy.
The nearly identical proclamations note that 660 Japanese facilities (a number that includes multiple branches of the same Japanese parent firms) employ more than 40,000 Georgians, and many legislators count Japanese investors among the largest employers in their districts.
The documents provide a solid overview of the breadth of the Georgia-Japan relationship, highlighting sister-city links, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021), the $8 billion in two-way trade volume and the fact that more than 1,000 Georgia students are taking Japanese language courses.
The resolution states that “Georgia has become a model for welcoming Japanese companies to the
Southeast, and the region has grown to become an indispensable part of the United States-Japan relationship,” as well as that the “Japanese community has thrived together with all other communities to make Georgia greater.”
Launched in 1974, the Japanese Consulate General will celebrate its 50th anniversary in the state next year. Established formally in 1973, the Canadian Consulate General is currently planning celebrations for its golden jubilee this year.
Read copies of both resolutions below:
20232024-HR44 - 49th Anniversary of the Consulate General of Japan (1)20232024-SR16 - 49th Anniversay of the Consulate General of Japan Resolution (1)
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