To commemorate JAMA USA’s 50th Anniversary of representing Japanese-brand automakers in D.C. we were honored that four senators representing Mississippi, North Carolina and Ohio, submitted statements in the Congressional Record. The statements highlight the 5+ decades of Japanese-brand automaker investment in the U.S. and specific investments in their respective state. These members of Congress know Japanese-brand automakers as local business leaders, engines of economic opportunity, and good neighbors as they continue to invest in the communities they call home.
Thank you again to these esteemed Senators for their comments and thier support of Japanese-brand auto investment in the U.S.
Mr. President, I commend Nissan’s and Toyota’s investments in Mississippi. These efforts are part of a broader pattern of Japanese-brand automakers’ expansion into the American Southeast to build vehicles closer to their customers and to create good-paying American jobs. As of the end of 2025, Nissan’s Canton assembly plant and Toyota’s Blue Springs facility together employ over 5,600 workers and represent more than $5.6 billion in capital investment. This has catalyzed the growth of suppliers and logistics operations that provide additional employment across our State.
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA)’s historical assessment shows that Japanese-brand automakers have expanded from early plants in the Midwest to a network of more than 2 dozen manufacturing facilities and dozens of R&D and design centers across the country, with the Southeast playing an increasingly important role. Mississippi’s plants are integral to that network, supplying vehicles and components that feed national and international markets.
These companies have also invested in the future of Mississippi’s workforce. Nissan and Toyota participate in STEM initiatives, support technical training, and offer earn-and-learn programs and scholarships that help Mississippians gain skills in automotive manufacturing, robotics, and maintenance. Research published by JAMA underscores how this kind of effort helps transform education and build a talent pipeline for the future. Community engagement, including charitable contributions, volunteerism, and support for local organizations, further demonstrates their commitment to Mississippi. As we mark JAMA USA’s 50th anniversary, the story in Mississippi is instructive. It reminds us that steadily increasing, long-term investment from trusted allies like Japan is about more than factories and numbers. Investment supports workers, strengthens communities, and reinforces a U.S.-Japan relationship that is essential to both of our countries’ economic and strategic success.
Madam President, Toyota’s decision to invest in advanced battery manufacturing and engineering makes them a key player in North Carolina’s fast-growing automotive sector. The announcement of Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina opening in Liberty marked one of the largest single investments in battery production in the United States. Nearly $14 billion is committed to the project, and soon, this plant will support 5,100 American jobs and families. All this serves to boost U.S. competitiveness by building the latest and greatest hybrid and full-electric vehicle batteries. This facility builds on Toyota’s long-standing manufacturing presence in the U.S. and reflects its consumer-focused and flexible approach to electrification that will rely heavily on North Carolina excellence and ingenuity.
Japanese-brand automakers’ investments are accompanied by significant commitments to education and workforce development. In North Carolina, Toyota is partnering with local community colleges, universities, and training centers to design classes and programs focused on battery manufacturing, automation, and quality; they are also providing scholarships, internships, and work-based learning opportunities to prepare North Carolinians for these new roles. A report by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) highlights how Japanese-brand automakers leverage partnerships with educational institutions to build a talent pipeline that can accommodate the future of manufacturing. Community initiatives that focus on environmental stewardship and work with local charities further demonstrate Toyota’s intent to be a long-term partner in the State. As JAMA USA celebrates 50 years in DC, North Carolina shows how investment from a trusted ally and partner can help drive economic growth and support high-skill jobs.
I rise today to recognize Toyota’s extraordinary commitment to North Carolina and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association.
Toyota’s nearly $14 billion battery manufacturing facility in Liberty represents one of the most significant economic development investments in our State’s history. When fully staffed, the facility is expected to support 5,100 high-skill American jobs and further establish North Carolina as a leader in advanced manufacturing.
What makes this investment particularly meaningful is the broader commitment Toyota has made to the communities it calls home. Long before production began, the company worked with schools, colleges, and local partners to help build a workforce prepared for the opportunities created by this facility. That effort underscores the importance of connecting education and training with the skills employers need.
Toyota’s commitment to North Carolina also extends beyond manufacturing. Its support for local nonprofits, small businesses, and sustainability projects reflects the kind of long-term community partnerships that can accompany major economic investments.
North Carolina’s experience with Toyota is part of a larger story. Japanese automakers have invested in American workers and American communities for decades. Today, those relationships are helping our country expand domestic manufacturing capacity, reinforce critical supply chains, and compete in the next generation of automotive technology.
As JAMA marks 50 years representing Japanese-brand automakers in the United States, Toyota’s growing footprint in North Carolina is a strong example of what the economic partnership between our two nations can produce.
I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing JAMA on its 50th anniversary and Toyota for its continued investment in North Carolina and our communities.
Mr. President, Ohio’s relationship with Japanese-brand automakers is perhaps the oldest and most significant in the entire country. When Honda chose our State for automotive manufacturing operations in 1982, no one could have imagined what that would lead to. It has grown into an over $15 billion commitment, and Honda directly employs over 15,000 Ohioans. This investment has had great impact on the communities of central and southwest Ohio. Honda’s plants in Marysville, East Liberty, Anna, and Russells Point support the production of hundreds of thousands of vehicles, engines, and transmissions. The company also has a decades-long research and development presence in the State, helping cement Ohio as a leading destination for automotive research and testing. Honda continues to expand with the start of mass production of lithium-ion battery cells for energy storage systems at its L-H Battery facility in Jeffersonville, OH. In addition, a joint venture with Korean battery maker LG Energy Solutions represents another $4.4 billion investment in Ohio.
Honda’s Ohio operations also have a profound impact on Ohio’s workforce and education initiatives. The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association’s (JAMA) workforce development white paper highlights Honda’s 20-plus-year partnership with The Ohio State University, which connects engineering research with manufacturing, as well as training programs in robotics, automation, and quality. Honda also supports earn-and-learn programs, co-ops, scholarships, and technical curricula through community colleges and training centers. Honda’s long-term commitment to Ohio is evident through its community engagement, including charitable giving, driving safety campaigns, and sustainability initiatives.
As JAMA marks 50 years representing Japanese-brand automakers in Washington DC, Ohio’s experience shows how foreign direct investment, paired with a long-term vision and commitment, can strengthen manufacturing communities while driving automotive innovation.