Ambassador and Consul-General of Japan in Shanghai Shuichi Akamatsu visited JFE Shoji Group company Jiangsu JFE Shoji Steel Products Co., Ltd. (hereinafter Jiangsu JFE) on March 20. The tour came about thanks to a request from the Jiangyin Japanese Association, which informed Jiangsu JFE that Consul-General Akamatsu was making his first visit to Jiangyin and wanted to visit a Japanese-owned company in the city.

During his visit, Consul-General Akamatsu first received an overview of the company, including the history of its founding and what differentiates Jiangsu JFE from other coil centers. Afterward, he toured the plant, where he showed interest in how equipment such as the packing machines and presses worked and listened intently to various explanations from Managing Director Yasuyuki Endo and Factory Manager Masaaki Akazawa. He also expressed interest in the relationship between Japanese-owned companies and the local government. The thoroughly congenial visit was enjoyable for everyone involved. Consul-General Akamatsu praised Jiangsu JFE, stating that “you have a clean plant and an energetic staff.”

According to Jiangsu JFE’s Yuichiro Chihara, who organized the visit, a great deal of work went into assuring that all went smoothly, including adjusting break times so that the Consul-General could see more of the company’s workers and machinery in action.

Chihara also mentioned that the Consul-General asked so many questions that he began to worry that the latter might be late for his next appointment. When asked for his impression of the visit, Chihara commented: “It was an unexpected honor to have a Consul-General visit our company. I’m glad it went off without a hitch.”