[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 51 (Wednesday, April 14, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E642]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          HONORING THE CONSUL GENERAL OF JAPAN, TATSUO TANAKA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KAREN McCARTHY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 14, 1999

  Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
retiring Consul General of Japan in Kansas City, Missouri, Mr. Tatsuo 
Tanaka. He has served Japan in the capacity of Consul General for 3 
years, and has served his country in numerous capacities for more than 
thirty years. Throughout his tenure, he has worked successfully toward 
strengthening the bonds between the United States and Japan. Mr. Tanaka 
has forged strong ties between Missouri's fifth district and Japan, and 
his presence will be missed, although I am positive that his good work 
will continue.
  Mr. Tanaka served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1962. He 
has worked in Pakistan, Bonn, and the United States to develop Japan's 
relationship with these countries. Mr. Tanaka has also done extensive 
research on the development of electronic money and the implications 
and benefits of the uses of e-money. Although he represents Japan and 
Japan's specific interests throughout the world, he is committed to 
recognizing the importance of international relations and the emergence 
of a global economy.
  The Consulate General of Japan at Kansas City was established in 1979 
and serves Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South 
Dakota. Its mission is to foster exchanges between Japan and this 
region in a variety of consular, commercial, cultural, and educational 
areas, and to assist Japanese and U.S.-Japan interests in this region. 
The United States-Japan conference last year held in my district helped 
to solidify the relationships between American and Japanese businesses.
  My district has close ties with Japan. For instance, three Kansas 
City area companies have a strong presence in Japan: Butler Japan, 
Inc., AMC Entertainment, Inc., and Farmland Industries, Inc. Butler 
Japan markets construction products and services of Butler Construction 
Company. Since October 1989, Butler Japan has sold many industrial type 
buildings to Japanese companies, such as Honda, Mitsubishi, Mitsui and 
Com., Sanyo, Sony, Toshiba, and Toyota. AMC Entertainment launched its 
export of theaters to Japan in April 1996 in Mr. Tanaka's hometown of 
Fukuoka, Japan. AMC's project in Japan has been a tremendous success. 
Farmland Industries, the largest farmer owned cooperative in North 
America, began doing business with Japan in 1987. This company now 
supplies pork, beef, grain, and fertilizer products to the Japanese 
market. Mr. Tanaka's work to build Japan-U.S. relations in the midwest 
has definitely contributed to the success of these American business 
ventures.
  Mr. Tanaka has also worked to increase the amount of cultural and 
educational exchange between the United States and Japan. An example of 
his success in this area is the growth of the Japanese Exchange and 
Teaching (JET) program. The JET program hires college graduates to 
teach English in Japanese schools. Currently, there are approximately 
2500 American college graduates working in English education and 
international understanding throughout Japan.
  Although Tatsuo Tanaka will be leaving the Kansas City area, I know 
that we will continue our friendship. I benefitted greatly from his 
wisdom and guidance when I served my U.S.-Japan Society Fellowship in 
Japan and also have appreciated he and his wife Eri Tanaka's 
hospitality on many occasions.
  I also welcome a continued relationship with the office of the Consul 
General, as well as a continued partnership between the Fifth District 
and Japan.

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