Japan is the UK's 7th largest export market accounting for £9.4bn in 2012 and covering both goods and services and is a major investor in the UK. With the EU and Japan negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA), business opportunities are set to increase.

This EU-Japan Centre seminar examined the likely impacts the FTA will have on key business sectors, heard success stories from companies that have succeeded in Japan or help other companies to do so, and looked at what support is available to help companies work with and in Japan. The seminar was held during the UK Trade & Investment "Export Week".

The event began with a keynote speech from Dr Stephen Woolcock (Associate Professor, Department of International Relations at the LSE) on "Business opportunities in the FTA".

The next session looked at the experiences 3 British companies have had working with or in Japan. As well as outlining their stories and sharing their experiences and the steps they took first to engage, and ultimately to succeed with Japan, Francesco Fiore (Managing Director, Axxe Ltd), Alex Gover (Vice-President, Business Development, Europe, Intralink Group Limited) and Aily Saitoh (Product Marketing Manager, Sensus UK) also shared tips.

The final session looked at practical help and other support offered by and on behalf of the British Government, Japanese Government and the European Union:

• Akiko Okamoto (Senior Trade Adviser for the Technology sector, British Consulate-General in Osaka) and Jim Pickles (Senior International Trade Adviser, London International Trade Team) explained the support offered by UK Trade & Investment in both Japan and London.
• Toshihiko Sakaguchi (Director General, JETRO London) outlined the services offered by the Japan External Trade Organization.
• Aiko Higuchi (Director, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation), summarised the services offered by the EU-Japan Centre.

Various organisations / websites were mentioned several times during the event:

• JETRO London
• UKTI
• Export to Japan
• EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation and EU Business in Japan

Participants at the EU-Japan Centre London Seminar	Dr Stephen Woolcock at the EU-Japan Centre London	Francesco Fiore at the EU-Japan Centre London Seminar	(L to R) Simon Craig Gray and Alex Gover at the EU-Japan Centre London Seminar
(Right) Aily Saitoh at the EU-Japan Centre London Seminar	(Right) Akiko Okamoto at the EU-Japan Centre London Seminar	(Right) Jim Pickles at the EU-Japan Centre London Seminar	Toshihiko Sakaguchi at the EU-Japan Centre London Seminar