Atlanta, February 26, 2026 — The Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta hosted a reception in honor of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito's 66th birthday, bringing together business, government, education, and cultural leaders from across Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The evening was as much a celebration of the deep and growing friendship between Japan and the American Southeast as it was a tribute to the Emperor himself.
Consul General Kenichi Matsuda opened by quoting Emperor Naruhito's 2019 remarks during President Trump's state visit to Japan, in which His Majesty expressed hope that both nations would continue contributing to world peace by expanding cooperation and deepening their bonds. Matsuda reflected warmly on his first months in Georgia, saying he felt not just welcomed but genuinely embraced — and that this spirit explained why so many Japanese companies, students, and families call the Southeast home.
He shared a striking statistic: the Atlanta Consulate-General oversees 1,577 Japanese-affiliated companies — more than any other Japanese consulate in the United States, surpassing Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. Atlanta is also the only consulate with Japan-focused legislative caucuses in two states. Recent milestones include the Alabama Department of Commerce opening a business development office in Tokyo, a $550 billion U.S.-Japan investment framework that includes a project in Georgia, and the upcoming Washington visit of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi — Japan's first female Prime Minister.
Mary Waters of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, representing Governor Brian Kemp and Commissioner Pat Wilson, called the Japan-Georgia relationship a model of what partnership truly looks like. “We build things together. We work together to solve common challenges, and we create economic opportunity and a better future for our families,” she said. She noted that Governor and First Lady Kemp traveled to Japan last fall to personally thank Japanese companies that have long invested in Georgia — a reflection, she said, that this partnership has always been a two-way street.
A written message from U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff was read at the reception, reaffirming congressional support for the alliance. “The alliance between our two nations is vital to our collective security and prosperity,” Senator Ossoff wrote, pledging to continue strengthening trade, investment, and security cooperation between the two countries.
The evening closed with gratitude to the Japanese companies that sponsored the reception, to Deputy Consul General Hiroyuki Kaneda and the Consulate team for their coordination, and to Yoko Matsuda, whose flower and bamboo arrangements brought quiet elegance to the celebration. As speakers noted throughout the night, the foundation built by those who came before has made possible a friendship stronger than ever — and by all accounts, the best is still to come.
