The number of Japanese nationals in Florida is increasing. In 2012, over 9,000 Japanese were registered at the Consulate-General of Japan in Miami.  According to the 2010 official Census, there were 13,224 people of Japanese descent living in Florida.

Japan is one of Florida’s top trading partners and trade between the regions is steadily increasing. Top imported merchandise from Japan to Florida includes vehicles and machinery while top exported merchandise from Florida to Japan are citrus fruit and fertilizers. Japan is the 19th leading destination of Florida-origin exports.

Japanese companies play an important part in Florida's economy. According to the U.S. Department of commerce, in 2009 there were over 160 Japanese companies directly creating over 22,000 jobs in Florida.  Japanese companies are predominantly in industries of wholesale trade, manufacturing and services including tourism.  In addition, Japan's brand products at wide-ranging fields, are transported, sold and repaired extensively by hands of many Floridians engaged in various sectors, thus contributing to expansion of job creation inside the huge consuming State of Florida. Recently, Florida has witnessed an increase of Japanese investments. A list of Japanese companies operationg in Florida can be found in the following webpage from Eneterprise Florida: www.eflorida.com/ForeignCompanies.aspx

With the easing of regulations, many Florida companies are successfully doing business in Japan. Florida companies are finding opportunities in areas such as high technology, food, hardware and other industries. The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) can assist companies interested in doing business in Japan.

Southeast U.S.-Japan joint meetings have been held every year alternating the meeting site between Japan and Southeastern states of the USA. The last three joint meetings were held in Tokyo (33rd, 2009) and Tennessee (34th, 2010), and Tokyo (35th, 2012) respectively.

Accordings to VisitFlorida.com, 278,000 Japanese tourists visited Florida in 2012.

There is a significant amount of cultural exchange between Florida and Japan. In 2010, 17 young college graduates from Florida participated in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program to teach English in Japanese schools. There are ten sister-city relationships and one sister-state relationship between Florida and Japan which promote friendship through exchange programs and other activities. The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens has been a center for Japanese arts and culture in Florida, with rotating exhibitions in its galleries, tea ceremonies performed monthly in its Seishin-an tea house, an educational outreach program with local schools and organizations, and Japanese traditional festivals celebrated for the public several times a year.