What Is The Southeast U.S./Japan Association?

Created in 1976 by former Georgia Governor George Busbee, the Southeast U.S./Japan Association ("SEUS/Japan") was established to promote trade, investment, understanding and friendship between Japan and the southeastern United States. Member states include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

According to a rotational system, each of the eight states serves as "Host and Co-Host" for a two-year term and assumes leadership of the Association during that period. Georgia hosted the first annual joint meeting in Atlanta in 1976, once more in 1990, and most recently in 2004. Delegations, typically led by state Governors, consist of business and industry leaders from a wide array of business sectors.

SEUS/Japan has a Japanese counterpart, the Japan-U.S. Southeast Association. The Japanese organization's membership includes Japan's top business leaders and government officials. An annual conference between the two associations is held on a rotational basis in Japan and the southeastern U.S.  Also on a rotational basis, each of the eight states serves as "Host and Co-Host State" for a two-year term and assumes leadership of SEUS/Japan during that period. North Carolina hosted the most recent U.S. joint meeting in Raleigh in 2008.

Attend the 34th Annual Joint Meeting

 The 34th annual joint meeting will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, over three days from Sunday, October 17, to Tuesday, October 19, 2010. The event will be co-chaired by Mr. Hiromasa Yonekura, Chairman of Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., and Mr. Jack Bovender, Chairman of the Hospital Corporation of America.

For more information about the Annual Joint Meeting of SEUS/Japan, please contact:

Kathe Falls
Director, International Trade
Georgia Department of Economic Development
phone: 1-404-962-4120
email: kfalls@georgia.org  

Member States of the Southeast U.S./Japan Organization

	Alabama Hilda Lockhart Director, International Trade Division Alabama Development Office Tel: +1 (334) 242-0442 lockhart@ado.state.al.us
	Florida Dave Woodward Executive Director Florida Delegation, Southeast U.S./Japan Association, Inc. Tel: +1 (786) 235-8289 dwoodward@fl-seusjapan.org
	Georgia Kathe Falls Director, International Trade Georgia Department of Economic Development Tel: +1 (404) 962-4120 kfalls@georgia.org
	Mississippi Liz Cleveland Manager, International Trade Office Global Business Division, Mississippi Development Authority Tel: +1 (601) 359-3155 lcleveland@mississippi.org
	North Carolina Mr. David Rhoades Executive Director of Marketing North Carolina Department of Commerce Tel: +1 (919) 715-6556 drhoades@nccommerce.com
	South Carolina Clarke Thompson Director, Export Development & Foreign Relations South Carolina Department of Commerce Tel: +1 (803) 737-0438 cthompson@SCcommerce.com
	Tennessee Lori Odom Director of Asian Investment Department of Economic & Community Development Tel: +1 (615) 532-8895 lori.odom@state.tn.us
	Virginia Rick Richardson Director, Communications & Promotions Virginia Economic Development Partnership Tel: +1 (804) 545-5802 rrichardson@yesvirginia.org   Mary Kay Land Office Manager Tel: +1 (804) 545-5800 mland@yesvirginia.org
	Japan/U.S. Southeast Association Tel: +81-03-5543-5090 info@seus-japan.org

Related Links

U.S./Japan Alliance homepage

Embassy of Japan in the United States of America 

Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta

Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO)

Japan Information Network 

Japan-American Society of Georgia

Japanese Chamber of Commerce