If we knew how to write "Welcome to Cabarrus County" in Japanese, we would. Since we do not, let's just say that, pretty soon, John Cox may.

Cox, president and CEO of the Cabarrus Regional Partnership, and Clay Andrews, business recruiter, travelled to Japan May 13 on behalf of Castle & Cooke Inc. and Cabarrus County.

For Cox, the trip was a complete success. The reception the N.C. Research Campus received in Japan was "virtually the same as it was in Chicago," Cox said, referring to the trip earlier this year to pump up excitement for Kannapolis and Cabarrus. "Amazement. This is a pretty incredible project."

That's more than true.

Things are moving along in Kannapolis and signs of the changes are more than evident. But, other parts of the globe are also getting excited about the project, as Cox was quick to point out.

In the General Assembly, billionaire David H. Murdock and UNC President Erskine Bowles are urging lawmakers to get behind the $1 billion biotechnology hub. Murdock is putting $100 million of his own money into a venture capital fund to attract biotechnology firms to the campus and $150 million into a non-profit to run the research lab here, in addition to the demolition, construction and recruitment that is going on.

Murdock asked members of the House of Representatives and the Senate education appropriations subcommittee to consider removing the 7 percent tax on the lab and other equipment that will be purchased for the site. In addition, Bowles is asking for UNC to get $6 million in one-time funding and $1 million in recurring money to help with the project.

Cox is quick to point out that all of these things make the project that much more real.

In October, there is another annual conference — this one in Florida — between the Southeastern United States and Japan. Cox is hoping to bring the Japanese delegates — elected officials, biotechnology scientists and others — to Cabarrus County.

That's when we will all need to learn a little Japanese. The importance of these trips may not be immediately evident, but pretty soon, Kannapolis will be reaping the benefits.