SR28: SR28 Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta; recognize

25 LC 112 2699 Senate Resolution 28 By: Senators Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Tillery of the 19th, Parent of the 44th, Jackson of the 41st, Strickland of the 42nd and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing the 51st anniversary of the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta; and for other1 purposes.2 WHEREAS, the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta has strength ened the cultural,3 political, and economic ties between the Southeast United States and Japan and has worked4 to help and support Japanese citizens and companies in the Southeast; and5 WHEREAS, a long and steady friendship has grown between Georgia and Japan, as shown6 by the establishment of the Office of the State of Georgia in Japan 51 years ago; and7 WHEREAS, Georgia has become a model for welcoming Japanese comp anies to the8 Southeast, and the region has grown to become an indispensable part of the United9 States-Japan relationship; and10 WHEREAS, the Japanese community has thrived together with all o ther communities to11 make Georgia greater; and12 WHEREAS, current trade between Georgia and Japan is $7.65 billion in import and export13 trade; and14 S. R. 28 - 1 - 25 LC 112 2699 WHEREAS, there are 514 Japan affiliated offices (not including retail locations) now located15 in Georgia, employing 38,290 people; and16 WHEREAS, the consulate-general created Japan Fest in 1986 and h elped grow it into the17 largest Japanese cultural festival in the Southeast; and18 WHEREAS, the 2020 Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo, Japan, in 2021 due to19 COVID-19; and20 WHEREAS, Americus, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Dublin, Gainesville, Macon, and Rome21 have sister-city relationships with cities in Japan, making Georgia the state with the highest22 number of Japanese sister cities in the Southeast; the State of Georgia has a sister-state23 relationship with the Kagoshima Prefecture; and the Port of Sav annah has a sister-port24 relationship with the Port of Shimizu; and25 WHEREAS, nearly 1,000 Georgia public school students are studying the Japanese language,26 13 Georgia institutes of higher education have Japanese language programs, and since 1987,27 573 Georgians have participated in Japan's Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) program;28 and29 WHEREAS, more than 25 members of the Georgia General Assembly a nd other Georgia30 officials were hosted in the autumn of 2019 on trips to Japan t o meet with Japanese31 government, business, and cultural officials in order to promote a deeper understanding and32 to cement ties between Japan and Georgia.33 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body34 recognize the 51st anniversary of the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta and the long and35 S. R. 28 - 2 - 25 LC 112 2699 steady friendship between this state and Japan and commend the efforts of the36 Consulate-General to strengthen cultural, educational, political, and economic ties between37 Georgia and Japan.38 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed39 to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for di stribution to the40 Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta.41 S. R. 28 - 3 -