British Market Council (BMC) Mission to UK（19-24 November 2023.）
Date：2023/12/15(Fri)
The BMC's third mission to the UK (theme: Cleantech) was dispatched to the UK from 19 November 2023 (formation ceremony) to 24 November 2023 (termination ceremony), with BMC Chairman Suzuki as leader and BMC Vice-Chairman Omachi as deputy leader. More than 30 people from 12member group companies attended the mission. The busy schedule of visits to London (26 participants), Liverpool (14 participants) and Aberdeen (24 participants) in one week was accompanied by Mr Umair Choudhry, Counsellor, Energy and Infrastructure, and Ms Reiko Tanaka, Deputy Head, Energy and Infrastructure, from the British Embassy in Tokyo, and Ms Sayoko Tosaka, Senior Inward Investment Executive, from the Scottish Development International, Tokyo.
On 20 November, in London, the delegation received presentations from seven start-up companies developing a range of clean technologies. A meeting with the Department for Business and Trade, a meeting with Minister for Investment Lord Johnson and a Parliament Tour with Trade Envoy Greg Clark also took place, providing a rare opportunity to watch a debate in the UK House of Commons at the Parliament.
On 21 November, in Liverpool, the delegation was briefed on the initiatives and benefits of the Freeport SEZ, and on the UK North West Industrial Cluster, a project to convert fuel to hydrogen and carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS). The Liverpool Football Foundation also explained its social contribution activities.
In Aberdeen, on 23 November, the delegation visited the Port of Montrose, where they were briefed on the infrastructure initiatives supporting the offshore wind project and also visited the world's first hydrogen-fuelled whisky distillery. The delegation received presentations from hydrogen production, CCS and floating offshore wind farm operators, as well as supporting research facilities and the Energy Transition Zone on 24 November.
We hope that this will be of some help to the participating member companies' businesses in the future.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the UK Department for Business and Trade, the British Embassy in Tokyo, the Scottish Development International and ITOCHU Europe PLC for their assistance in planning the programme of this mission to the UK, arranging the UK attendees and the meeting places, providing logistics-related advice and making the local arrangements etc.
20 November 2023 at the Arboretum Lounge, London, the meeting with Clean Growth Fund and start-up companies（From left, British Embassy in Tokyo Mr Umair Choudhry Counsellor、Clean Growth Fund Mr Robert Bahns、Futraheat Mr Tom Taylor CEO & Founder、BMC Mr Omachi Vice-Chairman、Clean Growth Fund Ms Beverley Gower-Jones Managing Partner、BMC Mr Suzuki Chairman、Vector Photonics Mr Neil Martin CEO、measurable.energy Mr Dan Williams CEO、Nuada Mr Conor Hamill Co-CEO、Above Mr Will Hitchcock CEO、piclo Mr Matthew Billson Policy & Market Strategy Director）
20 November 2023 at the Arboretum Lounge, London, the meeting with Departent for Business and Trade（DBT）
（From left, BMC Mr Omachi Vice-Chairman、BMC Mr Suzuki Chairman、DBT Mr Gus Wiseman Deputy Director & Head of Investor Relations、DBT Ms Diane Lin Head of Capital Investment, Indo-Pacific and Middle East）
20 November 2023 at the Arboretum Lounge, London, the meeting with Lord Johnson Minister of State (Minister for Investment)
20 Nov 2023, London Parliament Tour, briefing by Greg Clark, UK Trade Envoy to Japan
21 November 2023, at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRA) Office, Liverpool, the meeting with LCRA Ms Alice Lam, Head of Investment Services, Growth Platform
Presentation on social action by the Liverpool Football Club Foundation at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRA) Office, Liverpool, 21 November 2023.
22 Nov 2023 Presentation by Scottish Development International at Chester Hotel, Aberdeen.
23 Nov 2023 visit to Port of Montrose, infrastructure supporting renewable energy projects.
23 Nov 2023 visit to Arbikie distillery, the world's first hydrogen-fuelled distillation facility for whisky and other products.
24 Nov 2023, at Aberdeen Energy Transition Zone Office, presentations on renewable energy, CCUS, blue hydrogen, research and development aimed at energy transition, infrastructure and technology development to support renewable energy projects
