HR45: HR45 Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta; 51st anniversary; recognize

This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives honors the 51st anniversary of the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta. It lists reasons for the recognition, including trade between Georgia and Japan worth $7.65 billion, more than 500 Japan-affiliated offices in the state employing over 38,000 people, sister-city and sister-state relationships between Georgia and Japan, and Japanese language education programs in Georgia schools and colleges. The resolution formally states that the House recognizes the anniversary and commends the Consulate-General's work strengthening cultural, educational, political, and economic ties between Georgia and Japan. It directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for the Consulate-General. The resolution does not change any Georgia law; it is a ceremonial statement.

• Formally recognizes the 51st anniversary of the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives.
• Commends the Consulate-General's efforts to build cultural, educational, political, and economic ties between Georgia and Japan.
• Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta.
• Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a symbolic statement rather than a binding legal change.

The resolution most directly concerns the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta. It also touches Georgia public school students and college students studying Japanese, Georgia companies and workers connected to Japan-affiliated businesses, and Georgia cities and ports with sister-city or sister-port relationships with Japan.

Because this is a ceremonial resolution rather than a law, it does not change any rights, duties, or funding for Georgians. Its main real-world effect is a formal, public acknowledgment by the state legislature of the economic and cultural relationship between Georgia and Japan.

• The whereas clauses describe the economic relationship, citing $7.65 billion in trade and 514 Japan-affiliated offices in Georgia employing 38,290 people.
• The whereas clauses note sister-city relationships in eight Georgia cities and a sister-state relationship with Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture, plus a sister-port link between Savannah and Shimizu.
• The resolving clause states the House recognizes the anniversary and commends the Consulate-General's work strengthening ties between Georgia and Japan.
• The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta.

1. 2025-01-17House Read and Adopted (House)
2. 2025-01-17House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-01-17House Hopper (House)

• Matthew Gambill (R, HD-015)Primary sponsor
• Michelle Au (D, HD-050)
• Bruce Williamson (R, HD-112)
• Yasmin Neal (D, HD-079)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)
• Josh Bonner (R, HD-073)

• Georgia-Japan relations
• ceremonial resolutions
• international trade
• sister cities