INDIANAPOLIS | Gov. Mitch Daniels is scheduled to embark on his fourth trade mission to Japan on June 9, his office announced Friday.

"From my business experience, persistence and consistency are very important, maybe more so in Japan," Daniels said in a statement. "We have several ongoing active conversations with Japanese companies that we believe could lead to Hoosier jobs. And, as always, it is good practice to thank our customers."

Honda, Mitsubishi, Sony and Toyota are among more than a dozen companies the governor is slated to visit while in Tokyo and Nagoya. He is scheduled to depart June 9 and return to Indiana June 14.

Daniels, a first-term Republican seeking re-election against Democrat Jill Long Thompson, scored perhaps his biggest economic development coup in 2006 when Honda Motor Corp. announced plans to bring 2,000 jobs to southeast Indiana. Daniels had just returned from his second Asian trade mission when the Japanese auto maker selected Indiana over several states in the running for the new production plant, which is set to open this fall.

Japanese companies have invested nearly $1.5 billion in Indiana and created 5,500 jobs since Daniels took office in 2005, the governor's office reported.

Daniels plans to travel with a much smaller delegation this year. His companions are to include three officials from the Indiana Economic Development Corp., the state's job-creation agency, and utility executives from Duke Energy, ProLiance Energy and Vectren Corp.