TG Missouri in Perryville was among the key stops during a recent three-day visit to Missouri by Japanese Consul-General Masashi Mizobuchi, who toured the state to highlight the impact of Japanese-owned companies on local communities and to strengthen Japan’s long-standing economic partnership with Missouri.
During his visit to Perryville, Mizobuchi toured the TG Missouri facility to observe its airbag assembly operations and to learn more about the company’s role as a major employer and economic contributor in the region. TG Missouri is part of a network of Japanese-affiliated manufacturers operating across the state.
The Perryville stop was part of the consulate-general of Japan in Chicago’s Grassroots Caravan Initiative, which aims to deepen mutual understanding and strengthen Japan–U.S. economic relations by showcasing the positive impact of Japanese companies at the local level. The Missouri trip marked the first Grassroots Caravan conducted in the state and the largest ever organized by the Chicago consulate.
In addition to his visit to TG Missouri, Mizobuchi toured several other Japanese- owned facilities across central and eastern Missouri. On Dec. 1, he visited the KMM Boonville Plant to tour engine assembly operations, followed by a stop at Hitachi Energy USA Inc. in Jefferson City to observe transformer production. On Dec. 2, he toured G3 Boats in Lebanon to review aluminum boat manufacturing before traveling to Perryville. The final day included visits to Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Missouri Inc., in Troy and Nidec Motor Corporation in Ferguson.
State and local officials joined the visits, gaining firsthand insight into the operations of these companies and their contributions to local economies and workforce development.
Japan is Missouri’s largest foreign investor by number of business locations, with nearly 140 Japanese-affiliated facilities statewide employing approximately 12,500 Missourians and representing an estimated $3.8 billion in investment.
Officials with the Consulate- General of Japan said the Grassroots Caravan visit underscored the strength and longevity of the economic partnership between Japan and Missouri — a relationship reflected locally through companies such as TG Missouri in Perryville.
