FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2025
Tampa Sister Cities President Joins Mayor Castor to Welcome New Japanese Consul General Junya Nakano
TAMPA, FL – On February 16, 2025, Alfred Goldberg, President of Tampa Sister Cities, joined Mayor Jane Castor in welcoming Japan’s newly appointed Consul General in Miami, Mr. Junya Nakano, during his official visit to Tampa. The meeting marked a renewed commitment to strengthening cultural, educational, and economic ties between Florida and Japan.
The conversation centered around opportunities to expand collaboration between Tampa and Japanese communities, as well as ongoing developments in Japanese investment and presence in the Tampa Bay area. Key highlights included recent business entries such as Daiso, the popular Japanese lifestyle brand, and Mitsubishi Finance, both of which have recently established or announced expansions into Tampa.
“In addition to celebrating the deep and enduring friendship between Japan and Florida, we explored practical next steps for partnership,” said Alfred Goldberg. “Our discussion included launching a formal search committee to identify a future Sister City in Japan—a crucial step in cementing long-term cooperation through people-to-people exchanges and civic engagement.”
The meeting also emphasized Tampa’s openness to international relationships and its growing role as a hub for global commerce. Mayor Castor reiterated the city’s strong commitment to diplomacy, diversity, and innovation as driving forces behind Tampa’s economic development.
Tampa Sister Cities, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering global relationships through citizen diplomacy, looks forward to engaging with community leaders, business stakeholders, and the Japanese Consulate to identify the best city in Japan for future partnership.
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