JAPAN

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JETRO Chicago (Japan External Trade Organization) 

JETRO   (Japan External Trade Organization) is a non-profit organization funded by   the Japanese government for the purpose of supporting trade, investment and   business expansion into Japan, as well as supporting Japanese companies   looking to enter foreign markets. JETRO has over 70 offices in 54 countries worldwide, with six   locations in the US: Atlanta, Chicago,   Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. JETRO Chicago serves 12 states within the   Midwest Region: Illinois, Indiana,   Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,   South Dakota and Wisconsin.

OFFICE JURISDICTION

MIDWEST, USA - (12 states)

RALPH A. INFORZATO is a Chief Executive Director of JETRO Chicago.

In August 2017, Ralph Inforzato   was appointed Chief Executive Director of JETRO Chicago. As Chief Executive   Director, he will oversee JETRO Chicago’s activities designed to facilitate   trade and investment between Japan and 12 Midwestern states served by JETRO   Chicago.

Prior to his new position, Mr.   Inforzato served as Executive Director, Business Development for JETRO   Chicago. In this position he worked to implement JETRO’s team based projects   to directly engage in assisting US business expansion to Japan. He initiated   in-bound and out-bound technology collaboration for US & Japanese small   and medium sized companies, which resulted in numerous business agreements.   He also sustained the relationships that JETRO Chicago has with business,   state government and university leaders.

For the last thirty-three years, Mr. Inforzato has been   involved in significant JETRO related business development projects: Japan–US   Biotechnology Initiative (2002-2010), which has sent more than 500   representatives from North American life sciences companies, universities and   research institutes to Japan, enabling them to initiate research   collaboration and business development in the Japanese biotechnology and   pharmaceutical communities. He is directly involved in the teams that   implement JETRO’s Japan service robotics business development projects and   JETRO’s Monozukuri program, a series of seminars focused on Japanese   manufacturing philosophies for engineers in North American technology   companies.

CONTACTS

Ralph        Inforzato – Chief Executive Director

ralph_inforzato@jetro.go.jp

+   1 312 832 6000

Tsubasa        Hashimoto - Director of Public Affairs

tsubasa_hashimoto@jetro.go.jp

+   1 312 832-6000 Ext. 103

Kelly        Jo Highland - Assistant Director of Business Development

kelly_highland@jetro.go.jp

+   1 312 832 6000 Ext. 203