Former Governor of the State of Washington - Mr. Mike Lowry

August 5th, 1996

I am pleased to make available the third edition of the Washington State Directory of Housing Materials and Services for Japan. Listed in this directory are some 100 Washington State companies that provide products and services for the housing market in Japan. This is the largest housing directory produced by Washington State, and I hope you will find it useful for your business.

Washington State continues to be the largest supplier of imported housing materials to Japan. Over the last decade, Washington State has been at the foremost of market development activities in Japan. Washington is the only state office in Japan with a full time resident housing specialist. Japan's largest imported house model home park opened in early 1996 in Kobe, sponsored by Hyogo Prefecture. Washington State was the largest supplier of houses in the this beautiful new model home park. Washington Village, a joint housing project in the early 1990's with Hyogo Prefecture, remains the largest imported housing planned community in Japan. In March this year, Washington State launched one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs ever conducted in Japan - a 12 month long continuing education program for Japanese builders to teach cost-effective techniques and management for US building materials. Other market development activities include an active schedule of housing trade missions, pavillions in major Japanese home shows, bilingual publications of products and services, and technical information handout materials.

Washington State's building materials housing expert in Japan is available to provide Japanese companies with information on imported housing, and to introduce Washington State suppliers of building materials, panelized housing, design and construction services. For further information, please contact:

State of Washington Office
5-4-8-301 Toranomon
Minato-Ku, Tokyo 105
Tokyo, 105
Tel: 03-3459-0896
Fax: 03-3459-0897

Mike Lowry
Former Governor of Washington

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Consulate General of Japan - Mr. N. Sugiuchi

July 7th, 1996

I am proud to announce the publication of the third edition of the Washington State Imported Housing directory. Last year in February during the Japan American Top Level Executive Conference, the proposal by Prime Minister Hashimoto to create an " emergency plan of important points for the reduction of housing costs" was decided upon and followed across the ministries. An important link to this was the Western Wood Products Association (WWPA), whose efforts allowed the standards for grading framing lumber to the recognized throughout Japan.

It was because of this that we have been able to omit a second inspection process that was previously necessary, and it has been possible for the costs of inspections and management to be greatly reduced. It is expected that the export of these building materials to Japan will increase. Not only will Japanese home owners be able to enjoy the benefits of reduced housing costs, the citizens of Japan can experience an open lifestyle through imported housing from America, and along with improving their perceptions of the home, it will help them to understand the lifestyles of Americans. It will also contribute to the expansion of the Washington state economy, which is largely dependent on trade.

The opportunity created by the government of Japan through implementing deregulation will create an opportunity for the state of Washington's building material manufacturers to bond with Japan's markets, also a great contribution to Japan's trade.

Consulate General of Japan
Mr. N. Sugiuchi

 

 

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Japan External Trade Organization - T. Koganei

July, 1996

Nearly 100 years ago on August 31st, 1896, the first scheduled freight ship arrived in Seattle, and a regular shipping line between Japan and the West coast was established. Currently, the exports of housing related shipments to Japan from the State of Washington are greater than ever, approaching 190,000,000,000 yen. This figure makes it the top export industry, exceeding the area of airplane manufacture by the Boeing company..

In all areas, JETRO has been assisting State governments in their export programs to Japan, and has cooperated with the revisions to the Japanese edition of the publication entitled "Washington State Imported Housing Directory." For companies who will begin doing business with American firms, and for those of you who are already involved in the export business, we are confident you will be able to use the most recent version of this directory as a living dictionary. If you you are dissatisfied with any part of this directory, please don*t hestitate to contact us.

From Japan, the closest North American port is in Seattle, Washington. This year, the first scheduled shipping line from Sendai in Northern Japan was established. I hope that everyone will use this directory 120 percent, and it is also my belief that this will contribute greatly to the level of trade between Japan and the State of Washington.

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
Seattle Long Term Specialist
Tatsuo Koganei

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American Embassy in Japan - Mr. George Mu

August 9th, 1996

The U.S. Commercial Service is very proud to announce the publication of the "Washington Imported Housing Directory" in Japanese, which was made possible through cooperation by the State of Washington and the Evergreen Partnership. The U.S Commercial Service is one part of the American Department of Commerce. Although our attention is focused on promoting the export of American products and various types of services, our most important area is promoting building material exports from the Washington State building materials industry. This new directory will provide Japanese builders and persons involved in trade with the latest information about high quality, affordable building materials manufactured from America as well as fulfilling an important role in increasing the trade between Japan and the State of Washington even further.

American Embassy in Japan
Mr. George Mu
Minister of Commercial Affairs

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Evergreen Partnership - Director Ted Tenase

August 10th, 1996

The "Washington State Imported Housing Directory" was created in order to further develop the business between Washington building material suppliers and members of the construction industry in Japan. Information necessary to benefit Japanese firms is contained in this directory in an easy to understand format. I would like to thank all of the members of the Evergreen Partnership who contributed to the production of this directory. It is my hope that this directory will be used by members of the construction industry in Japan, and that this will benefit the promotion of trade between Japan and the State of Washington.

Evergreen Partnership
Director Ted Tenasse

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State of Washington - Noriko Ban

February 29, 2000

Washington State Wood Products Program for Japan

The wood products program, established in Japan by the Washington State Department of Community, Trade & Economic Development, intends to assist industry related companies in the following four ways:

1. To assist value added wood product manufacturers and exporting companies within the State of Washington so that they can export and sell products in Japanese markets.
2. To assist Japanese companies who are interested in importing value added wood products and building materials manufactured within the State of Washington.
3. To assist in the transfer of American building technology to Japan and to help develop the market for Washington exporting companies and manufacturers.
4. To provide Washington companies with the latest information about recent developments and trends in the Japanese market, and to assist the representatives of each company in doing business in Japan.

Our wood products program in Japan, which is promoting the sale of wood products, can help your firm in a number of ways: organizational assistance for trips to Japan for Americans, provide business introductions, assist in the preliminary communication between companies in Japan and Washington State companies and help in organizing tours of Japanese delegations, missions, etc. In order to develop the imported housing market, our wood products program works closely with offices of the Japanese government and Japanese firms.

If you would like more detailed information about Washington's value added wood product industry, it's companies, trade or port information, please contact us via the number below.

Washington State Community, Trade & Economic Development - Wood Products Program 5-4-8 Toranomon 301, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 105 Tel: (03) 5776-7766  Fax: (03) 3459-0897 Noriko, Ban, Program Manager wsjoban@gol.com

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Washington State Housing & Building Materials for Japan. Last modified: 04/10/02