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British Market Council (BMC) New Year Reception Held

The British Market Council (BMC) held its New Year Reception on 22 January 2026 at the Maple Room of Hotel Okura Tokyo, attended by approximately 130 members and guests.

The event opened with remarks by BMC Chairman Kakiuchi, followed by an address from His Excellency Julia Longbottom, British Ambassador to Japan. This was followed by remarks from Mr. Asada, Honorary Advisor of Marubeni Corporation and Special Advisor to the BMC, who also proposed the toast.

At the outset of his remarks, Chairman Kakiuchi expressed his condolences on the passing of Mr. Kenji Miyahara, the fourth Chairman of the BMC, who passed away on 5 January, and paid tribute to his many contributions. He then highlighted the achievements of 2025, including the successful promotion of the Japan–UK Nuclear Industry Forum and other bilateral business cooperation initiatives in collaboration with the British Embassy, with support from the Foundation for International Trade and Industrial Co-operation. He also referred to the seminar held at British Hills, which reinforced the depth of Japan–UK cooperation. Chairman Kakiuchi further emphasized the growing importance of the Japan–UK partnership amid a rapidly changing international environment and expressed his commitment to supporting its continued development.

Ambassador Longbottom noted that 2025 had been a highly productive year for the Japan–UK partnership, with significant progress achieved across a wide range of areas, including economic security. She referred to the UK Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai and the “MUSUBI” people-to-people exchange initiative announced on UK National Day, as well as the visit of a Royal Navy aircraft carrier to Tokyo Bay and the London Grand Sumo Tournament. Through these initiatives, she noted that exchanges and mutual understanding between the two countries had deepened further. She also highlighted steady progress in cooperation and mutual investment in clean energy, technology, and economic security, expressing her expectations for continued growth and development in Japan–UK relations.

Mr. Asada began by expressing his condolences on the passing of Mr. Miyahara, his predecessor as BMC Chairman, before addressing the importance of Japan–UK relations. He observed that, in an increasingly uncertain internationalenvironment, cooperation between Japan and the United Kingdom—countries that share common values—has become more important than ever. He stressed that closer collaboration between the two nations could contribute to maintaining and strengthening an open international economic order. Mr. Asada also pointed to significant opportunities for cooperation not only in energy, finance, defense, and digital sectors, but also in the fields of SMEs and startups. He concluded by expressing his hopes for further strengthening Japan–UK economic relations before proposing a toast.

The reception that followed provided an excellent opportunity for members, representatives of the British Embassy, officials from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and other guests to deepen their exchanges. The event concluded successfully in a warm and lively atmosphere.