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British Market Council Board Meeting, Annual General Meeting and Reception were Held

On 21 May, the 65th Board Meeting and 54th Annual General Meeting of the British Market Council (BMC) were held at the Marunouchi Park Building (Mitsubishi Corporation). Chaired by Chairman Kakiuchi, the meeting was attended by Mr. James Carter, Deputy Head of Trade at the British Embassy Tokyo, and Mr. Naka, Principal Deputy Director of the Europe Division, Trade Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). All agenda items submitted to the Board Meeting and Annual General Meeting were duly approved and adopted.

A reception followed at the Mitsubishi Club. In his opening remarks, Chairman Kakiuchi expressed his gratitude and respect for Ambassador Longbottom's significant contributions to strengthening UK–Japan relations, marking her final participation in a BMC event. The Ambassador highlighted the remarkable progress in bilateral relations since her appointment in 2021, including the entry into force of the UK–Japan EPA, the UK's accession to the CPTPP, and strategic cooperation under the Hiroshima Accord. She also thanked BMC and its member companies for their longstanding role in fostering ties between the two countries. She further reflected on BMC's 53-year history and her own 35 years of diplomatic engagement with Japan, and expressed her pleasure at seeing an increasing number of British companies enter the Japanese market and the steady expansion of partnerships between British and Japanese businesses. The reception concluded with a toast proposed by MIPRO President Higuchi, providing an opportunity for members, representatives of the British Embassy, METI officials, and guests to strengthen their ties in a friendly atmosphere.