Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma said there were clear goals during his four-day trip to Japan.
First and foremost was a chance to connect with and thank Japanese automotive companies that have set up shop and continue to employ Stratford and area residents.
Given challenging economic times with the U.S., the mayor said there was another big message to pass along.
“To tell them that the Mayor of Stratford is advocating for them. To tell them the premier of Ontario has them front and centre and to tell them that our prime minister is certainly with them.”
Ritsma said there are five Japanese facilities in Stratford that are key employers in industrial manufacturing in the city, and continuing a strong relationship is paramount.
Ritsma learned that Japan has $10 trillion to invest globally, and through meetings with Japanese business leaders, learned they have kept an eye on and reacted positively, to how Canada’s political leaders have handled trade tariffs.
The mayor said he was part of a Canadian pavilion at a Japanese world expo, and the retired teacher and principal reconnected and had coffee with a Japanese nurse, who was a high school exchange student in Stratford.
Ritsma said Japan and Canada share common values of respect, calling Japan a nation that “loves to go out into the world, share what they have and learn from other nations.”
