2026 New Year's Message from Consul General Kenichi Matsuda

Happy New Year to everyone.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to members of the Japanese community and to all those involved in Japan–U.S. exchange for the generous support extend to the activities of the Consulate over the past year.

Throughout 2025, interest in Japan continued to grow across our consular districts of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Japan–U.S. exchange remained active in a wide range of fields, including politics, business, culture, education, and sports.

In the political and economic spheres, Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia and Governor Josh Stein of North Carolina visited Japan in connection with the Annual Joint Meeting of Japan-US Southeast Associations. At the same time, Japanese companies continued to expand into North Carolina, South Carolina, and other states in the region. Through my own discussions with political and business leaders in each state, I have strongly felt the deep trust in and high expectations for Japan. In particular, when visiting Japanese companies in Alabama, I was deeply impressed by how deeply rooted these companies are in their local communities and how actively they contribute to regional development. I believe such efforts play a significant role in strengthening trust and confidence in Japan.

In the fields of culture and education, a wide variety of events were held throughout the region as well. Since assuming my post in October, I have had the pleasure of directly engaging with many individuals who work tirelessly at the grassroots level to promote Japan–U.S. exchange through meetings of Japan America Societies and related organizations. These experiences have reaffirmed to me that today’s strong Japan–U.S. relationship is built upon the dedication and connections of each and every one of you. I am also pleased to see continued momentum in sister-city exchanges, including the visit of Mayor Soichiro Takashima of Fukuoka to Atlanta to mark the 20th anniversary of the sister-city partnership, which has led to further expansion of bilateral exchange.

The year 2026 marks the Year of Hinoe-Uma (the Fire Horse), symbolizing strength, energy, and passion. In this dynamic year, I intend to visit as many communities as possible, take every opportunity to listen directly to those engaged in Japan–U.S. exchange, and work with renewed energy toward further strengthening the relationship between Japan and the Southeastern United States—widely regarded as a key growth hub of Japan–U.S. relations. This year is also especially significant as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, and as Atlanta prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Through these and other opportunities, I look forward to advancing Japan–U.S. relations together with all of you.

I sincerely hope that the year ahead will be a healthy and fulfilling one for all of you, and that Japan–U.S. relations will continue to flourish. With these wishes, I extend my New Year’s greetings.