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Oregon Gov. Kate Brown this week will lead a delegation of business and government representatives on travel to China, Japan and Vietnam to improve trade and build relationships.

One architect, ZGF Architects managing partner Jan Willemse, will join Brown in Japan, said Ryan Frank, a spokesman for the governor.

Willemse said one meeting he’ll have will be with a confidential client for work in downtown Tokyo. The project involves urban planning and design around a very large, mixed-use development.

鈥淎t the same time, I will be meeting with some of our existing clients and hopefully future clients,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have been doing work for Mitsui Fudosan, (which is) 鈥� the largest or second-largest developer in Japan, and also a separate project for Mitsui Fudosan Residential.鈥�

Willemse said his efforts in Japan grew out of the Portland Development Commission‘s We Build Green Cities initiative.

鈥淭he whole intent of the trip with the governor is to meet with one specific client and to see if there are additional opportunities that can be leveraged for Oregon designs,鈥� he said.

Frank said Brown will leave for Tokyo on Saturday, arrive in Beijing on Oct. 15, land in Hanoi on Oct. 19 and return on Oct. 21.

The purpose of the trip is to promote Oregon business, agriculture and tourism in Japan and to establish diplomatic relations and promote agricultural exchanges in Hanoi, Frank said. Brown is the first Oregon governor to visit Vietnam, he said.

鈥淚n Japan we have a number of business recruitment and retention calls as well with investors who currently have operations in Oregon or want to have operations in Oregon,鈥� he said.

While businessmen such as Willemse were invited to join the governor, official members of the governor’s entourage will include representatives of Business Oregon, Travel Oregon, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Port of Portland.

鈥淚n general, the folks invited on the trip were partners who have or want to have business over there,鈥� Frank said. 鈥淲e will have 11 public agencies and 12 private companies or organizations in addition to the official delegation.鈥�