Governor Roy Cooper and First Lady Kristin Cooper will travel to Washington, D.C. to attend a White House State Dinner on Wednesday night honoring America’s relationship with Japan. President Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and his wife Kishida Yuko, along with other members of the Japanese delegation. Following the State Dinner, Prime Minister and Mrs. Kishida will travel to North Carolina on Friday, April 12 for a historic State Lunch at the Executive Mansion, visits to major Japanese employers in North Carolina and other events emphasizing the state’s strong relationship with Japan.

“Kristin and I appreciate President Biden’s invitation to attend the White House State Dinner honoring our nation’s relationship with Japan and we look forward to hosting Prime Minister and Mrs. Kishida in North Carolina as well,” said Governor Cooper. “Japan is a great ally and economic partner and I’m grateful for President Biden’s efforts to bring our countries even closer together, especially during a time of conflicts and tension around the world.”

Following the State Dinner, Prime Minister and First Lady Kishida will travel to North Carolina. On Thursday evening, Governor Cooper will greet Prime Minister Kishida at RDU-International Airport. On Friday, Governor and Mrs. Cooper will host Prime Minister and Mrs. Kishida, US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emmanuel, state leaders and members of the Japanese delegation at the Governor’s Executive Mansion in Raleigh for a historic State Lunch.

Governor Cooper, Prime Minister Kishida and a delegation of Japanese dignitaries will then visit Toyota’s first and only electric and hybrid battery plant in Randolph County and HondaJet in Guilford County. First Lady Kristin Cooper will join Mrs. Kishida for a traditional Japanese tea at Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham. First Lady Cooper and Mrs. Kishida will also visit the North Carolina Museum of Science to see a traditional Japanese Friendship Doll that has been continuously on display in North Carolina since it was gifted to the state by the people of Japan in the 1920s.

Governor Cooper visited Tokyo in 2023 to participate in the Southeast US/Japan Economic Partnership Conference and has continued to work to recruit new Japanese business investment to North Carolina. Japan is the largest source of foreign direct investment in North Carolina.

Since taking office, Governor Cooper’s sustained engagement with Japanese leaders and employers has paid dividends for North Carolina’s economy. From his trips to Tokyo in 2017 and 2023 to hosting the SEUS/Japan Conference in Charlotte next fall, Governor Cooper has made it a priority to build lasting relationships between North Carolina and Japanese business leaders and recruit good-paying jobs in high-growth industries like aerospace, electric vehicles and biotechnology.

The Governor last attended a White House State Dinner in October 2023.