Earlier this month, I represented our city, community, state, and nation as a member of the Indiana delegation at the 55th Annual Joint Meeting of the Midwest United States-Japan Association and the Japan-Midwest United States Association Conference (MWJA). This annual conference is hosted in Tokyo, Japan, every other year before returning to one of the ten Midwest states in the association. Indiana is pleased to host this joint conference in 2026, and we look forward to partnering and sharing our Hoosier hospitality.
This year's conference was an opportunity to build upon our existing relationships and establish new ones with Japanese companies and governments. Indiana has the highest per capita investment by Japanese companies in the United States. Nearly 100,000 Hoosiers work for these companies, and Decatur County is home to five of the hundreds that call Indiana home. We all have neighbors who work for these community partners, and it's our duty to maintain and develop relationships that keep our strong economic engines running.
While in Japan, Greensburg/Decatur County Economic Development Director Bryan Robbins and I met with representatives, presidents, and governmental affairs directors of some of our Japanese partners. We discussed everything from federal tariffs, foreign trade zones, and economic incentives to childcare, educational changes in our high schools, workforce development, and quality-of-life initiatives. These areas are of interest to investors in our community who may not be aware of the good work being done here on the ground in Greensburg and Decatur County.
Meanwhile, the company representatives discussed the future of their products, company initiatives, industry changes, and areas of concern where we might be able to assist in strengthening and enhancing investments in the United States.
These relationships matter because they aren't transactional; they're fundamental to building a foundation for growth, retention, and partnership conversations next week, month, year, or decade. We joined other economic regions, mayors, and private industry leaders to share the excitement happening in Indiana and throughout the Midwest.
We experienced both optimism for the American economy and concerns about policies and the benefits of manufacturing products in the United States. We all see the conversations about global politics and policy, but knowing you have someone in Osaka, Japan, you can call and share the local discussion with is why relationships matter. The ability for someone in Tokyo—one of the largest cities in the world—to call someone in Greensburg and get a familiar voice may be the very reason an investment happens right here.
Relationships and kindness extend beyond the boardroom and the finance department and can have a meaningful impact on a community that might otherwise be unrecognizable on a map.
I'm proud of our community's commitment to these partners, to showing up and supporting them, just as they support us. I look forward to welcoming these same leaders to our community in 2026 when Indiana becomes the center of the Japan-Midwest relationship for a few days.
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The Indiana Delegation of mayors and economic development
partners pictured with Japanese counterparts
Greensburg Mayor Joshua Marsh pictured with
Consul-General of Japan in Chicago Masashi Mizobuchi
Greensburg Mayor Joshua Marsh addressing the assembly during the
Japan-Midwest United States Association Conference
