By JOY BROWN
Courier staff writer
FINDLAY, OH (FINDLAY COURIER) - Mayor Lydia Mihalik and seven other regional leaders will head to Japan on Saturday for an eight-day economic development trip.
"Seven Japanese companies currently operate in Findlay and are key to our economic success," Mihalik said. Efforts such as this trip are essential for the retention and expansion of these businesses, and recruitment of other companies, she said.
The group will tour factories, visit a school, meet with government officials and gain knowledge of the Japanese culture so they can better meet the needs of Japanese who live and work in this region, Mihalik said.
Japanese ties to Findlay and Hancock County were fostered 25 years ago by former Mayor Keith Romick, Mihalik said. "The success we're seeing now (from Japanese businesses located here) is born out of those early relationships," she said.
For most of the trip, the group will stay in Tokyo and venture to other parts of the country each day.
Others who will be traveling include Tony Iriti, the Findlay-Hancock County Alliance economic development director; Hancock County Commissioner Phil Riegle; Greg Allen, a First Federal Bank executive; and Hiroaki Kawamura, chair of the University of Findlay Department of Language and Culture and an associate professor of Japanese.
"If we want to create more jobs in our community and foster a positive working relationship with our Japanese friends, then we have to make efforts to visit them," Mihalik said.
"Northwest Ohio is a great place in terms of logistics for companies to do business," Mihalik said, a concept that is part of the trip's "mission."
"Creating an environment that is conducive in northwest Ohio for fostering foreign investment" is key to the region's prosperity, she said.
The region's amenities will be touted, and Japanese business leaders who have expressed an interest in expansion will find themselves in discussions on that topic.
For instance, Mihalik said Kobe Steel, known here as Pro-Tec Coating, is interested in the U.S. natural gas boom because it makes pipe that can transport the gas, extracted from shale, to suppliers.
"I've been told that the yen is very strong, and that they're looking for additional investments in Hancock County," Mihalik said.
The trip comes a mere month after Mihalik took office, and while the city continues to operate with a temporary 2012 budget. But for the reasons she outlined, and because the Japanese hold the office of mayor in high esteem, Mihalik said her presence is essential.
"My presence there will show that their presence is important here," she said.
The trip will also afford regional leaders the opportunity to gauge how well Japan, its people and economy are recovering from the 2011 tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster.
"I can't wait to lay my eyes on the region and get an idea of what has happened there," Mihalik said. "I'm interested in seeing how the country has recovered, and what they are doing now."
During her absence, Service-Safety Director Paul Schmelzer will be making some decisions and handling any city government-related issues that crop up.
The mayor will be communicating at least on a twice-daily basis by posting pictures and information she'll glean from the trip, she said. She is considering creating a blog for that purpose. The city's Twitter and Facebook accounts will be used, too.
Mihalik and Riegle will be paying for their trips.
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