Gov. John Hickenlooper flew to Japan this week as part of an international trade mission, a four-country trip that he hopes will bolster global relationships and lead to Colorado jobs.

The governor is leading a 52-person delegation of business and academic leaders on a two-week trip that will also take them to China, Turkey and Israel — where Hickenlooper will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Hickenlooper administration said the four countries were chosen because they contain markets that have strong growth potential for Colorado companies. The governor aims to create Colorado pipelines to these countries by networking with business and innovation leaders.

“This mission will engage business, political and thought leaders to strengthen Colorado’s relationships and support our efforts in developing unique economic opportunities to create and retain jobs,” Hickenlooper said in a written statement. “Creating deeper ties between these countries and Colorado allows us to also promote our state’s innovative economy and business environment to potential foreign investors.”

The governor hopes to expand opportunities with Japan, which is currently the state’s fourth-largest trading partner.

“We have a lot of companies in Japan that do business in Colorado,” said Fiona Arnold, executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, who will accompany Hickenlooper on the trip. “So that makes sense to get the governor there to pay attention to what’s happening there and to leverage opportunities.”

Colorado’s beef and pork exports to Japan — nearly half of the state’s total exports there — grew by 22 percent last year. There are over 50 Japanese companies with operations in Colorado, employing more than 5,200, according to information provided by the state.

The governor will spend five days in Japan, where he will sign a collaboration agreement with the Japan Innovation Network and the Colorado Innovation Network, a state-backed entity that boosts job creation through innovative networks. Hickenlooper will also meet with Japan’s Ministry of Economic Trade and Industry and will give remarks at a summit, discussing why he believes Colorado is a great place to invest.

Hickenlooper will then head to China for a five-day trip beginning Oct. 11. Colorado companies sold more than $658 million in exports there last year. Colorado’s top exports to China are optical and medical devices, as well as raw hides and industrial machinery. China also invests heavily in the state’s energy sector.

During stops in Shanghai and Beijing, the governor’s delegation will meet with several investment groups. In addition, an agreement is scheduled to be signed to form a Chinese research development and partnership with Colorado State University.

“It’s something we need to start exploring,” Arnold said of the Chinese trade market. “Many governors have taken trips to China to establish relationships, but Colorado has not done that, so it’s really time.”

The governor then heads to Turkey, where he will speak at the Turkic American Chamber of Commerce and meet with a solar energy company looking to invest in Colorado. Colorado collected more than $21 million in exports, largely industrial machinery, to Turkey last year.

Hickenlooper’s trip ends in Israel Oct. 18-20. There, the governor will meet with Netanyahu to promote Colorado investment opportunities. Hickenlooper also plans to meet with former President Shimon Peres and Israel’s economy minister.

Colorado exported more than $37 million in goods to Israel last year and the state looks to expand on those partnerships. Israel is seen as a global innovation leader and an attractive trade partner for the state.

“Our entrepreneurial ecosystem is really booming, and Israel is the same,” Arnold said. “As Israel companies look to scale, we want to make sure we have a good directional pipeline where Colorado is the logical choice for companies in Israel to think about scaling their start-ups.”

Other than Israel, this will be the first time Hickenlooper will visit the countries on the trade mission as governor. He visited Japan as Denver mayor.

“In his first term, he was so busy with things impacting the state of Colorado, unfortunate disasters that were clearly a priority, that he was just not able to do as much on trade work,” Arnold said.

Hickenlooper has taken international trips to South America, Mexico and Canada as governor.

Kathy Green, the governor’s spokeswoman, said his trips to Mexico and Canada led to the creation of the first-ever Summit of North America. The National Governors Association-sponsored summit, which will be held in Colorado Springs later this month, promotes economic development and trade opportunities with the bordering countries.

Hickenlooper’s trip comes on the heels of a trade agreement between the U.S. and 10 other Pacific Rim nations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the largest regional trade deal in U.S. history.

Green said the TPP, which must receive congressional approval before taking effect, puts the state in a good position to open up more trade opportunities.

“Exports to TPP countries represent almost half of all Colorado’s exports, and growth in the Asian markets hold great potential for Colorado companies,” Green said. “Ensuring Colorado is positioned to capitalize on trade opportunities is critical. We remain hopeful that the TPP is reviewed expeditiously in order to take full advantage of a more level playing field in trade with the partner countries.”

Arnold said the TPP “did not dictate which countries we’re going to our how we’re spending our time (on the trip), but it’s something the governor is very aware of and something that ultimately will be of benefit to Colorado.”

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