Gov. Ricketts and Nebraska delegation wrap up trade mission to Japan

LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts on Friday wrapped up his second trip in about a month to Japan, calling the past week’s trade mission to promote Nebraska ag products a success.

According to a media release, the governor and trade delegation met with Japanese government and business leaders to promote Nebraska beef, pork, ethanol and other ag products. The Husker team encouraged Japanese businesses to invest in Nebraska.

Ethanol partnership

Nebraska’s delegation included Ivan Rush, director at the Nebraska Beef Council; Shana Beattie, past president of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association; Mark Knobel, chairman of the Nebraska Wheat Board; and Mark McHargue, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau. They met with leaders of agencies including the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and U.S. Embassy in Japan.

On Thursday, the governor and delegation met with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to discuss the benefits of Nebraska ethanol and to explore opportunities for partnership, said a tweet on the governor’s official account. 

The governor and industry experts, including Jan tenBensel, chairman of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, also spoke with Japanese officials about solutions Nebraska ethanol offers as Japan seeks to provide cheaper, cleaner fuel for vehicle and air travel. 

Throughout the week, the delegation spoke with several companies investing in Nebraska to thank them and to discuss growth opportunities. Companies included Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which has invested in Monolith Materials, a Lincoln-based manufacturer focused on emissions-free, commercial-scale hydrogen production. Others included Nippon Steel, which launched Captain Beef, a premium beef brand sourced from Nebraska packers; Toho Cinemas, a theatre chain that serves Preferred Popcorn from Chapman; and Prima Ham, a food manufacturer that buys pork from Wholestone Farms in Fremont.

During his earlier Japan trip, Ricketts on Nov. 9th received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star Award from the Japanese government at the Imperial Palace for his work on strengthening the relationship between Nebraska and Japan. 

All-time high for exports

“Nebraska has a long-established friendship with Japan,” said Ricketts. “I have appreciated the hospitality, kindness, and partnership of Japanese leaders during my time as governor. Working together, we’ve been able to grow our relationship both through trade and cultural exchange.”

Currently, Japan is the largest international investor in Nebraska, with dozens of companies that support roughly 6,500 jobs in the state.

Last year, Nebraska exported over $1.4 billion of products and services to Japan, an all-time high, including $457 million in beef. Japan was also Nebraska’s largest purchaser of pork and eggs in 2021.

Nebraska is the first state to visit Japan after new beef tariff trigger levels were approved. The new levels will make it less likely that beef exports will reach levels that trigger higher tariffs, which will provide the state with increased opportunity to meet Japan’s growing demand for quality beef. 

This trade mission was Ricketts’ fourth one to Japan, with the others being in 2015, 2017 and 2019.