Tennessee is Japan's "land of opportunity"

[Mulboyne]

Tennessean.com: State is land of opportunity to Japan
Ask business executives in Japan what they know about Tennessee, and three things often come to mind. "They still know country music and Jack Daniel's," said Vanderbilt University professor James Auer..."But it's also very well known there that Tennessee is a good place to do business"...According to Tennessee's Department of Economic and Community Development, through April 159 Japanese firms have invested a total of $9.8 billion and brought more than 42,000 jobs to the state in the past three decades..."Japanese investment has helped the state tremendously," said Auer. "Thirty years ago, Tennessee did not make automobiles. Now it's the third-largest auto-producing state in the country"...In Tennessee, Nissan and other Japanese firms have found a state with readily available land and a central location within 500 miles of two-thirds of the United States. Perhaps just as important to some firms...has been a work force without a strong union presence...more...

[Socratesabroad]

The South has taken a real shellacking for years on its racist and redneck image - and not all of it undeserved (this coming from a native Georgian).

However, things in the South aren't black & white like they used to be. Like Tennessee, Georgia's also been working hard to encourage Japanese industry to set up shop in the state. Close to 10 years ago when I left the States, Georgia's Japanese immigrant population was something like a third of the number of Japanese employees temporarily posted there.

I imagine that's changed a good deal since I've been gone (the Hispanic, Korean, and Indian populations are now booming), and I for one hope to see more Japanese opt for the laid back lifestyle of the South rather than congregating solely in NY and on the West Coast.

Good on ya', Tennessee!