| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution expressing Florida's deepest sympathies for |
| 3 | and continuing solidarity with Japan in the wake of the |
| 4 | country's recent disaster. |
| 5 |
|
| 6 | WHEREAS, on March 11, 2011, an 8.9-magnitude offshore |
| 7 | earthquake struck northeastern Japan and, as the most intense |
| 8 | quake ever recorded for the region, unleashed a 23-foot tsunami |
| 9 | minutes later, wreaking horrific destruction and indeterminate |
| 10 | loss of life in the area, and |
| 11 | WHEREAS, the State of Florida has enjoyed a strong |
| 12 | relationship with Japan in the areas of finance, commerce, |
| 13 | culture, military strategy, and education, and |
| 14 | WHEREAS, with trade steadily increasing, Japan is currently |
| 15 | one of the state's two leading foreign investors, recently |
| 16 | averaging $4.16 billion; Japanese companies employ an estimated |
| 17 | 21,000 people in Florida in areas such as wholesale trade, |
| 18 | retail trade, and manufacturing; Florida exports approximately |
| 19 | $781 million in goods and services to Japan, including civilian |
| 20 | aircraft, motor vehicles, office machines, citrus, and |
| 21 | fertilizer; and, at an average of $3.9 billion, the state |
| 22 | imports more from Japan than any other country except China, |
| 23 | mostly in motor vehicles and aircraft, communications equipment, |
| 24 | machinery, and medical supplies, and |
| 25 | WHEREAS, through the enactment of the Status of Forces |
| 26 | Agreement (SOFA) in 1960 and various other agreements in the |
| 27 | intervening years, the United States military works closely with |
| 28 | Japan in defense coordination, peacekeeping operations, |
| 29 | humanitarian relief efforts, intelligence sharing, and mutual |
| 30 | military support, an alliance that continues to promote security |
| 31 | and peace in the Far East region and throughout the world, and |
| 32 | WHEREAS, the number of American students studying in Japan |
| 33 | has increased 57 percent over the course of the decade, and, as |
| 34 | a result, Japan grants more student visas to Americans than to |
| 35 | any other non-Asian country; conversely, the number of Japanese |
| 36 | students currently in the United States approaches 25,000, and |
| 37 | WHEREAS, with Japanese travelers accounting for almost two- |
| 38 | thirds of visitors from Asia to the United States in 2005, both |
| 39 | the United States and Florida owe much of their success in |
| 40 | tourism to the citizens of Japan, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 41 |
|
| 42 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 43 | Florida: |
| 44 |
|
| 45 | That in recognition of the United States' and Florida's |
| 46 | close ties to Japan across a broad spectrum, including in the |
| 47 | areas of commerce, military operations, education, and culture, |
| 48 | and to express the state's deepest sympathies toward the nation |
| 49 | in the wake of its most devastating natural disaster to date, |
| 50 | the Florida House of Representatives hereby declares and |
| 51 | demonstrates its strong solidarity with the Japanese people as |
| 52 | they embark upon their recovery. |
| 53 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 54 | presented to Ichiro Fujisaki, Japan's Ambassador to the United |
| 55 | States, and to United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham |
| 56 | Clinton, as a tangible token of the sentiments expressed herein. |