Japanese companies are an important component of the high-tech backbone of North Carolina industry and agribusiness, Erickson said. The N.C. Japan Center was established by Gov. James B. Hunt in 1980 to strengthen economic, academic, scientific and cultural ties between Japan and North Carolina. The center supports NC State's Japanese Language Program, the largest at any Southeast university. Currently, six students are on a yearlong exchange at Nagoya University. The center also supports Japanese language studies in public schools, a language academy for children of Japanese expatriates in the state, and numerous citizen and corporate information programs.
Media are welcome to attend the conference and luncheon.