AUSTIN -- On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott's office announced that he's in Japan with his family for a 10-day vacation.

Although Abbott's personally footing the bill, he already has squeezed in two work-related meetings this week, according to press secretary John Wittman.

On Wednesday, Abbott met in Tokyo with Toyota Motor Corp. president and chief executive Akio Toyoda "to discuss Toyota's continued investment in the Lone Star State," Wittman said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott met on Wednesday in Tokyo with Toyota Motor Corp. president and chief executive Akio Toyoda, left, to discuss the company's "continued investment" in Texas. Directly behind Abbott is first lady Cecilia Abbott. The woman at right was identified, without name, as Toyoda's wife. (Courtesy photo / Office of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott)

Last year, Toyota began consolidating on a new Plano campus about 2,800 employees of its North American operations. Earlier, they were scattered in California, Kentucky and New York. The company also has a pickup manufacturing plant in San Antonio.

On Thursday, the Republican governor met with U.S. Ambassador to Japan William F. Hagerty about Texas-Japanese relations, Wittman said. Japan is the state's sixth leading trading partner. Last year, Texas exported nearly $9 billion of goods to Japan.

"It was a privilege to catch up with my former law school classmate" at Vanderbilt, Abbott said of Hagerty in a tweet.

It was a privilege to catch up with my former law school classmate who is now serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. pic.twitter.com/6vzSqgTkUO — Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) December 27, 2018

Hagerty, formerly a private equity investor in Silicon Valley and his native Tennessee, was President Donald Trump's "victory chair" in Tennessee in 2016. He later served as director of appointments in Trump's presidential transition team.

Abbott traveled to Japan with first lady Cecilia Abbott and their daughter Audrey, a student at the University of Southern California, Wittman said.

"He will return next week," Wittman said of Abbott, without specifying when.

Abbott, who will be sworn in for a second term next month, has made official visits to five countries as governor: Cuba, Mexico, Switzerland, Israel and India. TexasOne -- a marketing group funded by corporations, councils of government and chambers of commerce -- pays for the official trips.

Two years ago, Abbott interrupted a vacation to Australia to kibbitz -- and trade hats -- with then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the capital city of Sydney.

As with his current trip to Japan, the governor paid for his Aussie vacation.