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Nebraska to host Midwest-Japan conference in 2018

Nebraska has been chosen to host the Midwest U.S.-Japan Association’s 50th annual conference in 2018.

Gov. Dave Heineman

Gov. Dave Heineman

“This will be an opportunity to showcase Nebraska to hundreds of Japanese business leaders and Japanese-related company representatives who will be attending the conference here in four years,” Heineman said during a Wednesday news conference.

Heineman was joined by Nebraska director of agriculture Greg Ibach, who spoke about the importance of the Japanese market to the state’s ag industry.

“It was our second largest agricultural export market in 2013,” Ibach says. “Of the 566 million dollars in exports to Japan from Nebraska, about 454 of those were agricultural goods and the bulk of that number—about 411 million—is in pork and beef.”

The Midwest U.S.-Japan Association conference alternates each year from Japan to the Midwest. This year’s conference was held in Des Moines.

AUDIO: Excerpts from news conference-Heineman and Ibach (5:16 MP3)

  • I am the secretary of our HIEO, Hastings International Organization, and received news that you will be hosting a midwest Japan Conference in Nebraska in 2018. I want to make sure that you are aware that Hastings Nebraska has had a sister city relationship with Ozu, Japan, which is a rural community of 31,000 people. This July, 2015 will be our 20th anniversary. A delegation of 10 Hastings citizens, including myself, went to Japan in May.2014 The gracious people of Ozu love our city, and are anxious to learn more about the agriculture we have to offer. We are anticipating that approximately 30 people will be coming to Hastings from Ozu in July, 2015 for the special celebration. I personally invited Mayor Ieirie to come to Hastings again. He is the mayor of Ozu, and was here in 2005. Our small non-profit organization, HIEO, is striving to continue this relationship, and see potential for agricultural enterprises with Japan in the future. Jack Schreiner with Bruckman Rubber in Hastings does business in Japan, but other than that, we have just not have had the right contacts to make things happen. In addition, unfortunately, our current mayor of Hastings has not provided support. We also see the importance of getting our Chamber of Commerce involved in the potential, but have not been successful in their involvement.

    As a member of HIEO, we have established such a devoted bond with our friends in Japan. I am the caretaker of the Japanese Garden at Hastings College. There were 6 gardeners who first came to Hastings 20 years ago to get our garden established. These gardeners have returned every 4 years to advise and assist me. One of the gardeners, Higashi, has been to Hastings 6 times, and will be returning again in July, 2015. Several others have been to Hastings 5 – 6 times, and continue to come. They say Hastings and Nebraska is so beautiful – sadly, we do not always appreciate our beauty.

    We are excited about making the July, 2015 20th anniversary celebration a tremendous one, I see tremendous potential in agricultural enterprises between Nebraska and Ozu, but we need the resources to help us make that happen. HIEO would appreciate any assistance or recommendations you can provide. I am a retired school principal. You can reach me at 402-469-7647, or our HIEO president, Tammie Schik at 402-984-7550.

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