Through the Eyes of the Consul General of Japan in Detroit

 
In January 2025, shortly after I arrived in Detroit, the Detroit Auto Show felt desolate. The media day, that once drew 6,000 people, attracted fewer than 1,000—a clear sign of decline. And despite the visit of Vice Chairman Matsunaga of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, the only Japanese exhibitor inside the venue was Toyota (with Aisin participating outside the venue), and there were no Japanese participants featured in any on-stage talks or programs.
 
With that in mind, we visited the headquarters of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA), the show’s organizer, soon after the event and held multiple rounds of discussions. The revival of Japan’s presence at the Detroit Auto Show was also in DADA’s interest, and with their cooperation, we decided to build a two-story “Japan Plaza” inside the venue for the following year’s Detroit Auto Show.
 
On the opening day of the 2026 Detroit Auto Show this past January, attendance was even lower than last year. However, the sleek black-painted Japan Plaza, built right next to the Toyota and the returning Subaru booths stood out—if I may say so—quite prominently.
 
The three-day operation of the Japan Plaza from January 14 to 16 was, by all accounts, a great success. There were three key factors behind this outcome.
First, we provided cold Japanese tea from Kōka in Shiga Prefecture and offered unlimited Japanese snacks such as matcha KitKats and momiji manju from Hiroshima. Although the venue was large and offered paid coffee, there was no place where visitors could hydrate for free. Based on last year’s experience, we anticipated that Shiga’s cold tea would be popular—this proved correct, though the demand for snacks far exceeded our expectations and required mid-event restocking.
 
Second, we displayed four informational panels created with the cooperation of JBSD. These panels clearly illustrated, with graphs and figures, how Japan’s automotive industry contributes to the United States and to Michigan. Visitors heading upstairs for tea could not reach the refreshments without passing these panels at the top of the spiral staircase. Leaders of JBSD and the Consulate took turns tirelessly highlighting the contributions of Japan’s auto industry to onlookers.
 
Third, thanks to the efforts of JBSD President Sasaki, we secured performance time for Great Lakes Taiko. Their powerful drumming, strong enough to rival the roaring engines at the Jeep test track, drew crowds of visitors. In addition, the first floor of the Japan Plaza was opened to JBSD member companies, offering hourly business meeting slots—an arrangement that was also well received.
 
Governor Whitmer visited the Plaza accompanied by Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist and MEDC CEO Messer, where they enjoyed Shiga’s cold tea while speaking with Japanese business leaders. Senator Peters, SBA President Kelly, Mayor Schor of Lansing, many state legislators, and business representatives also visited. Next year, building on this year’s accomplishments, we hope to present an even more dynamic Japan Plaza.