If it were a separate country, Texas would be the world’s 10th largest economy, overshadowing that of even Russia. The U.S. state’s economic heart lies in an area called the “Texas Triangle,” a corridor that connects the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and capital Austin. Collectively, the Texas Triangle generates an economy second only to New York.
It is no surprise that Japanese companies in the United States consider Texas as a very important location not only as a market but also as a production and administrative base. According to the Dallas Regional Chamber's latest data, more than 170 Japanese-owned companies established their United States or North American headquarters in the region.
“Each year, the business environment is becoming better and better for Japanese companies and their employees in Texas. The social infrastructure in place also caters to Japanese expats. These include Japanese markets, like Mitsuwa, and Japanese schools with teachers authorized by Japan’s Ministry of Education. This social infrastructure means the DFW Area has the basic infrastructure for Japanese living,” said NEC Corporation of America Chairman Shin Takahashi, who is also a resident of the DFW area.
Takahashi added: “For starters, the zero-percent state and local income tax has drawn large corporations to relocate to Texas.”
Aside from the tax incentives and the state’s pro-business environment, Japanese companies have also been attracted by the extensive talent pipeline in Texas that is very helpful in sustaining their long-term business.
“Dallas area has a lot of good talent because it is the site of top-notch universities and research centers,” Takahashi said.
“Texas is at the center of a new era of Japanese-U.S. business relationship. My Japanese colleagues joke about how I was responsible in bringing more ramen restaurants to Dallas. The fact is that Dallas did a lot of things right in attracting Japanese businesses to this community. And, NEC America has both contributed to the growth of the community, and has benefited from it,” Takahashi added.
