Boosting trade priority for UK Government at Osaka Expo - and Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill /Seafood Scotland in Tokyo to champion Scottish produce.
Boosting trade and investment between Scotland and Japan are top of the agenda as UK Government Minister Kirsty McNeill embarks on a three day visit to Osaka and Tokyo from today (Weds Aug 20th).
The Scotland Office Minister will meet with business leaders and politicians to promote Brand Scotland's iconic goods and services and encourage Japanese inward investment as part of the UK Government's Plan for Change to boost the economy and put more money in the pockets of working Scots.
While at the Osaka Expo 2025, Minister McNeill will join the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Indo-Pacific Minister Catherine West in meeting leading Japanese life sciences firms for a discussion around opportunities in the UK market following publication of the Life Sciences Sector Plan.
Scotland is one of the largest health and life science clusters in Europe, employing more than 41,000 people across 770 organisations and generating more than £10 billion annually for the Scottish economy.
More broadly the Expo - Japan's biggest international event of the decade, with more than 150 countries taking part and 28 million visitors expected over its six-month span (running from mid-April to mid-October) - provides an opportunity for the UK to strengthen relationships with like-minded partners across fields from defence and security to sustainability and energy transition.
Minister Kirsty McNeill said:
Brand Scotland is about selling the best of Scotland to the world and encouraging inward investment to create jobs and opportunities for Scots. Scottish companies already export £484 million of goods and £475 million of services annually to Japan and there is scope for so much more. The UK-Japan partnership is closer than it has been for decades, with intensified cooperation across the entire breadth of UK economic growth and security interests, including defence, digital, cyber, science and innovation and trade and investment.
Trade missions such as this help foster even greater collaboration and I look forward to promoting the very best of Scotland in Japan and embedding Scottish produce, such as seafood, in Japanese gastronomy. The UK Government is doing everything it can to help Scottish businesses make the most of opportunities overseas as part of our Plan for Change to grow our economy and put more money in people's pockets.
Minister Catherine West said:
The UK-Japan relationship is the closest it has been in decades, from trade to security and defence. As the Emperor said, we are friends like no other.
And there is no better advert for the UK than taking part in Expo 2025. It's a chance to show our strengths in areas like science and tech and invite Japan and the world to 'Come Build the Future'.
At the Expo, both Ministers will also meet with Lord Mendoza, a member of the UK Soft Power Council's Europe Committee, to discuss how Scotland's soft power strengths can be fully utilised.
Then in Tokyo, Minister McNeill will attend the Japan International Seafood & Technology Expo where she will meet with Seafood Scotland which is taking a delegation of businesses to the show for a tenth year.
Japan is among the UK's top export locations for products like mackerel and is a growing market for a range of other British products. Scottish mackerel now accounts for around 20% of all imported mackerel into Japan, up from just 2% in 2019.
The Expo is an important opportunity to help the Scottish seafood sector as it begins to re-establish Scottish salmon in the Japanese market, after many recent years of Norwegian dominance.
Donna Fordyce, CEO, Seafood Scotland said:
We are delighted to have the support of the Scotland Office, the Minister, and Brand Scotland in showcasing the very best of our seafood on the world stage. Japan is an important market for Scotland's premium catch, and this mission provides a valuable platform for our producers to connect with influential buyers, chefs, and media. Together, we are championing the quality, provenance, and sustainability that make Scottish seafood stand out.
Adam Wing, Head of Trade Marketing (UK, Middle East & Asia), Seafood Scotland said:
Over the past decade, we have worked hard to establish and grow Scottish seafood exports to Japan, building strong relationships with buyers, chefs, and industry partners. This year marks our 10th visit to the Japan International Seafood & Technology Expo, and we're proud to celebrate this milestone with the Minister alongside our delegation of seven exceptional Scottish seafood companies. We look forward to strengthening these ties and unlocking new opportunities for our world-class mackerel, salmon, and premium shellfish.
While in Tokyo Minister McNeill will also meet with Sumitomo Electric to discuss progress in the construction of its £350 million subsea cable factory at the port of Nigg in the Scottish Highlands. The factory - due to be completed in mid-2026 - will contribute significantly towards the UK's capability to deliver renewable energy to UK consumers. The project is creating around.150 jobs.
And she will meet Eurus Energy to hear about its offshore wind project currently under development in Scotland. The Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm will be located 7.5km off the coast of Dounreay in Caithness. The project's operational lifespan will be up to 25 years, and it will generate enough green electricity to power up to 70,000 homes.
The Minister will also visit Venture Café, Tokyo, where she will announce the opening of a Venture Cafe in Edinburgh in November.
Venture Cafés are hubs which provide a space for entrepreneurs all over the world to come together and innovate.
Mike Jackson, Head of Venture Café UK, said:
We are delighted to welcome Minister McNeill to Venture Café in Tokyo and we are grateful for the support of the Scotland Office as we prepare to open our new cafe in Edinburgh, as part of our Activation Partnership with the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's (ARIA). In a world dominated by digital connections, the real magic still happens when people meet in person, especially when they do so regularly. That's what Venture Café is all about. Edinburgh has always been a hub of innovation and is now powering ahead in areas such as AI by being the future home of the new national supercomputer. We're here to help innovators of all kinds to come together, collaborate and turn the best ideas into reality.
And Minister McNeill will provide some remarks at a UK music trade mission reception at the British Residence in Tokyo to promote creative industries in the UK.
The Minister will also meet the current His Majesty's Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom, and New Zealand's ambassador to Japan, Hamish Cooper, who is being posted as High Commissioner to the UK as his next appointment.
