Boost for UK businesses and growth as new Musubi Initiative strengthens UK-Japan connections
- Innovative public-private partnership to encourage investment and grow the next generation of UK and Japanese leaders, while creating new opportunities for sports programmes, youth scholarships and cultural exchanges
- Backed by major partners including UCL, Liverpool FC International Academy, SSE Pacifico and Hello Kitty presented by Sanrio
Current and future business leaders across the UK and Japan will benefit from a range of new opportunities thanks to the innovative Musubi Initiative launched at the World Expo in Osaka by UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy today.
The initiative, which begins a new phase of UK-Japan cooperation, will draw in private funding to support a diverse range of programmes to create lasting connections spanning youth scholarships, sport, cultural exchanges, science, innovation and opportunities for women in business in both countries. It builds upon the UK and Japan's increasingly strong relationship, reflected in collaboration on defence, security, digital innovation and expanding trade through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Hiroshima Accord.
Named after the Japanese word for 'connection', the Musubi Initiative is a first-of-its-kind for the UK-Japan partnership and will strengthen ties and grow the international talent pool needed to grasp future opportunities.
Unveiled as part of the UK National Day celebrations at World Expo 2025 Osaka, it represents another step forward in delivering the Government's Plan for Change by fostering international relationships that drive economic growth and opportunity.
UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy said:
The UK's vibrant display in Osaka demonstrates the breadth of creativity and innovation from across our four nations and our strong partnership with Japan. From BBC Planet Earth and Paddington to our world-famous musicians, the UK's creative industries are a truly global hit, worth £125 billion to our economy and vital to our Plan for Change - it's great to see them in the spotlight today as part of UK National Day.
I am delighted that we have deepened our relationship with Japan further through this new Musubi Initiative, which will create even more opportunities for businesses in both the UK and Japan now and in the future.
Pioneer Partners
The Culture Secretary announced the first group of Musubi Pioneer Partners, who will help deliver the initiative's vision, including:
Sports programmes:
- Liverpool Football Club International Academy sports programme supported by Musubi developing young players and providing opportunities to build leadership qualities.
- The UK Ekiden, inspired by Japan's famous relay race, with UK and Japanese university students participating.
Educational programmes:
- A new Musubi Scholarship with University College London supported by Amano Enzyme Inc. for Japanese students, building on an over 160-year relationship between the university and Japan.
- A Youth Offshore Wind Scholarship Programme with SSE Pacifico to foster future talent in the offshore wind sector, including study abroad opportunities in Scotland.
- The Robert Walters career development programme to help bright young people, including Chevening Scholars, reach their full potential.
Leadership programmes:
- An event focussed on Women's Economic Empowerment and strengthening relationships between female exporters in Japan and the UK, co-hosted by the UK and Japan at Osaka Expo.
- The Musubi Alumni programme will bring together the talent and potential of alumni across our programmes.
Representing the strong links between the UK and Japan, Hello Kitty presented by Sanrio, the globally popular Japanese brand, will be the Musubi Friendship Ambassador, while Japanese firm Dentsu PR Consulting Inc. will be providing PR advisory services.
The programmes under the Musubi Initiative will be delivered with an ambition to create a long-lasting legacy and network of alumni that will become champions of their communities, their country and of UK-Japan relations.
The Culture Secretary has also been in Japan to promote Britain's creative industries overseas, push British brands within Japanese markets, and attract trade and investment into the UK that can be redistributed across the country to the places where it is needed the most.
Yesterday (21 May) the Culture Secretary met with Minoru Kiuchi, a senior Japanese minister with responsibility for the Cool Japan Strategy, in Tokyo to discuss strengthening creative industries collaboration. She also met with executives from major video games organisations, including Bandai Namco and Nintendo, as well as the Japanese cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Japan is currently the UK's 6th largest investor, with an inward Foreign Direct Investment stock of more than £86 billion at the end of 2023, and with bilateral trade worth £31 billion in 2024. Japanese investment into the UK has already roughly doubled over the last decade, with nearly 1,000 Japanese companies sustaining 200,000 UK jobs.
Exports Minister Gareth Thomas said:
The UK and Japan enjoy a dynamic and enduring trading relationship, with £86 billion in investment to the UK economy.
As part of the Government's Plan for Change, initiatives like the Musubi Initiative and Expo 2025 are helping to strengthen our ties with key economic partners, creating new opportunities for businesses and deepening people-to-people connections across the world.
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said:
It is connections between people that develop our societies and serve as a foundation for exchanges between countries.
In the Japan-UK Hiroshima Accord, issued by the leaders of Japan and the UK in 2023, we also confirmed our cooperation in revitalising people-to-people exchanges, including in the key areas of tourism, studying abroad, culture, and the working holiday programme.
I hope this initiative will strengthen our "Musubi (bonds)" especially among the younger generation and that our partnership, now stronger than ever, will continue to grow.
The UK's presence at World Expo 2025 is providing a global showcase for British companies and creative talent.
To mark UK National Day (22 May), there were musical performances from all four UK nations featured across Yumeshima Island, from bagpipes to bass guitars. This was followed by the Japanese premiere of BBC's 'Planet Earth III Live in Concert'.
