When it comes to Japanese investment in Alabama, auto manufacturers Honda and Toyota and their broad network of suppliers across the state immediately come to mind.
But the Asian nation is behind a significant number of non-automotive companies here as well, from chemical and steel producers to pharmaceutical and life insurance firms.
In all, there are more than 140 Japanese companies that call Alabama home, and their combined annual contribution to the state economy, from a consumer perspective, tops $200 million, said Mark Jackson, honorary consul general of Japan in Alabama.



