Having attracted more than 15 Japanese multinationals to the area, the Greater San Antonio Region, the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas, has built the ideal ecosystem to attract more foreign investment and further strengthen ties between Japanese-Texas business.
“San Antonio is a great city to invest in,” Japan America Society of San Antonio President Yuko Kawabe told GMI Post, adding that Japanese companies are drawn to the region’s welcoming culture, high availability of commercial space, heavy foot traffic, strategic location, and productive workforce.
Kawabe, who is also an assistant professor at San Antonio College, cites that foreign investors are drawn by the wide network and quality of the region’s public schools, colleges, and higher education institutions, including its medical schools.
Meanwhile, Prof. Roger Pratt, a former professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, is very pleased that local authorities have succeeded in creating conditions to keep Japanese investors in the region for the foreseeable future. Among the largest Japanese investors in the region are Futaba, Toyotetsu, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas.
“Japanese companies have stayed in San Antonio for at least five years because they see great value in the city,” said Pratt, who pointed out that Japanese businesses appreciate long-term plans and nurture close relationships with local communities, which JASSA also wishes to cultivate.
JASSA was formed in 1985 to connect cultural and business communities in San Antonio with similar groups in Japan through various grassroots activities and exchange programs.
