Just as Japanese citizens have adopted Guanajuato as a second home, Guanajuato residents have earned their place in the Asian country at the recent Hiroshima Flower Festival.
Guanajuato was the guest of honor, and at a booth that served as a window into our culture, Japanese visitors were able to learn about and acquire a taste of Guanajuato’s magic.
As part of the Flower Festival, the exhibition “The Landscape and Tradition of Guanajuato” was also inaugurated, featuring works by Guanajuato and Japanese artists.
As part of the effort to promote cultural exchange, the head of the Ministry of Culture, Lizeth Galván Cortés, proposed the launch of the “11,500 km Guanajuato–Hiroshima” platform to promote cultural exchanges, artist residencies, and museum collaborations.
In addition, a key meeting was held with the Japan Foundation to promote cultural exchange, as well as meetings with academic institutions, artistic companies such as the Tokyo Ballet, and representatives of the Mexican community in Japan.
As part of the working tour in Japan, Guanajuato was confirmed as the first state invited to the Tokyo and Hiroshima Creative Industries Festival, and negotiations were initiated for the Tokyo Ballet to perform for the first time in Mexico in 2027.
Tourism: High-Level Positioning
Led by the governor and the Secretary of Tourism and Identity, Guadalupe Robles León, the Guanajuato delegation held meetings with key players in the tourism sector, such as JETRO, JATA, and OTOA, as well as with tour operators and Aeroméxico, to strengthen air connectivity and create new tourism products.
Japan recently rose to fourth place as a source of tourists to Guanajuato. Guanajuato is not only promoting itself as a destination: it is positioning itself as an authentic, high-value cultural experience.
Diplomacy and Vision for the Future
The Japanese and Guanajuato authorities outlined a bilateral roadmap that lays the foundation for comprehensive cooperation on five fronts:
- Attracting investment and industrial supply
- Education and technological innovation
- Cultural and sustainable tourism
- Development of smart cities
- Cultural diplomacy and international relations
Since 2007, Guanajuato has consolidated its leadership as a destination for Japanese investment in Mexico, accumulating $8.9 billion, 145 projects, and creating more than 48,000 jobs. This alliance is strengthened with new ties in key sectors such as renewable energy, technology, and agribusiness, projecting Guanajuato as a competitive, sustainable, and innovative region.
This Monday, May 12, on the weekly program “Connecting with the People” on official social media, Governor Libia Dennise, accompanied by the heads of the Secretariats of Economy, Culture, Tourism, and Identity, will share more details about the working trip to Japan.
The State Government will continue to strengthen its international relations with a strategic vision, always seeking to transform the exchange of knowledge and partnerships into better living conditions for the people of Guanajuato.
What agreements did Guanajuato and Japan reach?
Governor Libia Dennise speaks about the results of her tour of Japan with Secretaries Cristina Villaseñor (Ministry of Economy), Lizeth Galván (Ministry of Culture), and Lupita Robles León (Ministry of Tourism):
Within the framework of foreign policy with the US and the issue of tariffs on the automotive industry, the following were sought:
To provide certainty to companies such as Toyota, Honda, and Mazda, the most important in the bilateral economic relationship between Guanajuato and Japan.
Four investments were made:
- For a total of $105.8 million
- Equivalent to more than 2.1 billion pesos
- Creation of 513 new jobs
In terms of tourism, the objectives set were:
- Promote Guanajuato as a tourist destination and showcase local crafts
- Build alliances
- Strengthen bilateral tourism exchange, attract more Japanese tourists to Guanajuato, and open up investment and air connectivity opportunities.
The first city visited was Hiroshima, and Guanajuato participated in the Traditional Flower Festival, where a demonstration of Guanajuato culture was featured.
In terms of economics, the following were proposed:
- Hiroshima-Guanajuato Supplier Fair
- International Internship Program in Hiroshima for GTO graduates
•Japan-Mexico Microcredentials Platform
•Guanajuato-Hiroshima Business Bridge
•Bilateral Business Opportunities Platform
•Binational Applied Innovation Laboratory
•Sustainable Smart Cities Program
In Tourism:
•Exchange between traditional cuisines of Hiroshima and the GTO
•Exchange between Japan and the GTO for wine promotion
•Model of attention and service to Japanese tourists
•Cross-campaign to share media and channels for tourism promotion and dissemination
•Plan to participate in fairs in Guanajuato
•Organization of roadshows, tourism seminars, and trade missions
•Exchange of best practices for Tourism Observatories
In Culture:
•Technical and creative exchange between artists from Guanajuato and Hiroshima
•Artist residencies in dance, music, folk art, and design
•GTO-Hiroshima Biennial of Art and Crafts
•Mazda Design Award
•Graphic design workshop inspired by the rock art of Arroyo Seco
Source: elfinanciero
