Basic information about Tennessee

2021/2/13

Links to Basic Economic Data

State of Tennessee

City of Nashville

City of Memphis

City of Knoxville

City of Chattanooga

Overview

Tennessee’s nickname, the “Volunteer State”, dates back to the 1800s.During America’s wars of expansion, many Tennesseans volunteered in campaigns that expanded the nation’s boundaries.
Three U.S. presidents (Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, & Andrew Johnson) hailed from Tennessee.
Three U.S. Ambassadors to Japan (Luke Wright, Howard Baker, Jr., and William Hagerty IV) have hailed from Tennessee.
The Government of Japan relocated its Consulate-General from New Orleans, LA to Nashville, TN in 2008, to better serve the growing numbers of Japanese citizens living and working in the region.
Tennessee sits within two different time zones.The eastern part of the state lies in Eastern Standard Time, while middle and western Tennessee lie within the Central Standard Time.
By land area, Tennessee is the 34th largest state in the nation, or about one-quarter the size of Japan.
Tennessee is the 16th most populous state, with about 6.9 million residents in 2020. About 66% of the state’s population lives within urban areas.

Japanese Business Connections

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development reports that about 200 Japanese-owned companies operate in the state, representing about $20 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Employment by Japanese-owned companies is estimated to employ about 60,000 people, accounting for about 37% of all employment created in Tennessee by foreign direct investment. Japan is the largest foreign investor in Tennessee.
Leading Japanese companies with operations in Tennessee include Nissan, Bridgestone, Yorozu, M-Tek, Denso, Mitsubishi, and many others.
Mitsubishi moved its North American headquarters from California to Tennessee in 2019.
Nissan moved its North American Headquarters from California to Tennessee in 2005.
Bridgestone moved its American headquarters from Ohio to Tennessee in 1991.
Tennessee is one of seven (7) member-states of the Southeast U.S. Japan Association (SEUS). SEUS was created in 1976 to promote trade, investment and friendship between Japan and the southeastern United States. A companion organization exists in Japan, the Japan U.S. Southeast Association. The two groups host a joint Annual Meeting each year, alternating between a Japan host and a U.S. host. The 2019 joint annual meeting was held in Savannah, Ga and the 2020 meeting was scheduled for Tokyo, but was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Japan-America Society of TN (JAST) works with the TN Department of Economic & Community Development (TNECD) to coordinate the Tennessee delegation to the Annual Meeting.
Tennessee exports about $31 billion in products each year. Of that amount, about $2 billion is exported to Japan. Top exports to Japan are medical instruments (HS9018), orthopedic appliances (HS9021), pharmaceutical goods (HS3006) and batteries (HS8507).
Tennessee imports about $87 billion in products each year. Of that amount, more than $11 billion is imported from Japan annually. Top imports from Japan include motor vehicles (HS8703), motor vehicle parts (HS8708), electric ignition equipment (HS8511), and electric switches, boards, and panels (HS8537).

Representative Office in Japan supports bilaterial trade & investment

Ms. Yumi Mitamura, Director
Japan Office
Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development
Yokohama Blue Avenue, 12F
4-4-2 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku
Yokohama 220-0012 JAPAN

Phone: 011-81-45-274-1581
Email: Yumi.Mitamura@tn.gov

State Government Priorities

Governor Bill Lee (Inaugurated January 2019) has prioritized several specific areas for improvement. His administration’s primary focus is centered on public education, public safety & criminal justice reform, workforce development, and rural economic development.
Satisfying the growing demand for skilled workers for the state’s manufacturing sector can be challenging. “Tennessee Promise” is a state-funded, last-dollar scholarship program that offers two years of tuition-free attendance at a community or technical college in the state. The successful program encourages students to develop the skills needed by industry. The scholarship includes mentoring and community service requirements and now attracts more than 64,000 students each year.“Tennessee Reconnect”, is a companion program which supports the return of eligible adults to pursue higher education. Both programs pursue the dual purpose of supplying skilled workers and providing improved employment opportunities for Tennesseans.
Businesses have ready access to state economic development programs through a network of locally based Regional Business Consultant staff In addition to being the contact point for businesses, these regional directors also work with local officials to help develop broader regional strategies for development.