From Wayne County to the 'Land of the Rising Sun'

Wayne County Commissioner Andy Anderson was among a dozen North Americans and one of two county officials to receive a lesson in kokusaika, the Japanese word for "internationalization," last November. Anderson participated in the 2009 Local Government Exchange and Cooperation Seminar, sponsored by the Japan Local Government Center, in Tokyo and Japan's Tottori Prefecture on Nov. 1-11.

Wayne County is home to a Japanese-based company, Uchiyama America Inc., which manufactures automotive seals. During a day off in his trip to Japan, Anderson paid a visit to the company's headquarters. He wanted to make sure the company knows that he values their presence in Wayne County.

"If you do not have good international relations with other countries, you will not get those industries in your county," he said in County News, the National Association of Counties' publication. "If you do [have them] and do not improve relationships, you will have problems and probably not get future businesses."

Photos courtesy NACo