Japanese business leaders get taste of SA

A visit to South Australia’s world-renowned Health and Medical Research Institute and Tonsley precinct is high on the agenda, when a delegation of Japanese business leaders visits South Australia this week.

The delegation is led by the Japanese External Trade Organisation in partnership with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and hosted by the South Australian Government’s Investment Attraction Agency and is aimed at promoting future investment and collaboration opportunities.

The visit is expected to strengthen ties between South Australian and Japan, and encourage Japanese companies to consider South Australia as a future investment location.

The group will visit leading South Australian Institutions including:

• The South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute – the State’s first independent, health and medical research institute and the pioneer of the state’s new Health and Biomedical Precinct on North Terrace;
• The Innovation and Collaboration Centre – a partnership between the South Australian Government, University of South Australia and industry partner Hewlett Packard Enterprises;
• Tonsley  – Australia’s first innovation district and home to Mitsubishi’s South Australian headquarters;
• Algae and Biofuels Facility – a state-of-the-art analytical and algal biomass production facility at the South Australian Research and Development Institute; and
• The Waite Agricultural Campus – Home to the largest concentration of expertise in the southern hemisphere in plant biotechnology, cereal breeding, sustainable agriculture and land management.

Delegates include the Consulate-General of Japan, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Central Japan Railway Company, Hitachi Australia Pty Ltd, IHI Engineering Australia Pty. Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., Mitsubishi Australia Limited, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., MITSUI & CO. (Australia). Ltd, Mizuho Bank, NEC Australia Pty. Ltd., Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Australia Pty. Ltd., and Sumitomo Australia Pty. Ltd.

Research Director with the Japanese External Trade Organisation Mr Tadayoshi Hiraki said South Australia shares a border with every other mainland state and has the potential to serve as Asia’s gateway to Australia.