MOU Signing Ceremony Between JETRO, ACA, GPEC, and ASU
2026/3/30
On March 4, 2026, the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles co-hosted a signing ceremony in Arizona for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC), Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), Arizona State University (ASU), and JETRO Los Angeles.
The newly signed MOU will accelerate collaboration between Japan and Arizona in R&D, human resource development, and workforce development in key industrial sectors, including the semiconductor field, which is a driving force of the state's industry. It will support technological exchange and human resource development partnerships involving Japanese companies, universities, and local governments, and will jointly organize events and programs to facilitate this collaboration among the four parties.
The MOU signing ceremony took place at the beginning of the networking reception for the Japanese business delegation to Arizona that was organized by the Consulate General and began on the same day. Consul General Kosei Murota as well as Billy Kovacs, Director of Federal and Intergovernmental Relations at the Office of the Governor of Arizona, joined the MOU signing ceremony as witnesses.
The newly signed MOU will accelerate collaboration between Japan and Arizona in R&D, human resource development, and workforce development in key industrial sectors, including the semiconductor field, which is a driving force of the state's industry. It will support technological exchange and human resource development partnerships involving Japanese companies, universities, and local governments, and will jointly organize events and programs to facilitate this collaboration among the four parties.
The MOU signing ceremony took place at the beginning of the networking reception for the Japanese business delegation to Arizona that was organized by the Consulate General and began on the same day. Consul General Kosei Murota as well as Billy Kovacs, Director of Federal and Intergovernmental Relations at the Office of the Governor of Arizona, joined the MOU signing ceremony as witnesses.
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| MOU Signing Ceremony (from left): Consul General Kosei Murota, JETRO LA Chief Executive Director Akira Kajita, ACA President and CEO Sandra Watson, GPEC President and CEO Christine Mackay, ASU Knowledge Enterprise Executive Vice President Sally C. Morton, Office of Governor Katie Hobbs Director of Federal & Intergovernmental Affairs Billy Kovacs |
Group Photo (Signers and related parties) |
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| Remarks by Consul General Kosei Murota |