Florida, Japan Sign Accord on Trade Promotion

TOKYO — The state of Florida and the government-financed Japan Trade Promotion Organization signed an agreement today aimed at promoting Florida’s exports to Japan.

The agreement was signed by Minoru Masuda, president of JETRO, and witnessed by Florida Commerce Secretary William Sutton.

Under the agreement, JETRO will send a trade expert to Florida to offer advice on the promotion of the state’s exports to Japan, the Japanese said.

Florida is the third U.S. state to conclude such arrangements, following Indiana and Ohio.

JETRO plans to sign similar agreements with 15 other U.S. states this year to help promote U.S. exports to Japan.

The agreement is in line with the Japanese government’s import promotion program to reduce Japan’s trade surplus with the United States, which amounts to about $50 billion annually, the officials said.