Opportunities for collaboration: Greater Manchester’s 2025 Mission to Japan
From Jo Ahmed MBE, Practice Senior Partner at Deloitte in the North West and Honorary Consul of Japan in Manchester
Greater Manchester and Japan share a fascinating history that dates back to the 19th century, when students from Osaka travelled to Manchester to learn about the North West’s revolutionary advancements in industry and technology. This connection has shaped decades of collaboration in trade, innovation, and culture that can still be seen today.
As Greater Manchester continues to grow rapidly, strengthening our international partnerships is incredibly important. Japan remains a natural partner for our region, due to our shared values, strengths and ambitions. Deepening these ties can help accelerate progress towards net zero, increase trade and investment, and strengthen educational ties between our world-class universities.
That’s why I’m excited to be part of this year’s mission to Japan, joining businesses, universities and civic leaders from across Greater Manchester for a series of engagements in Tokyo and of course being part of “Manchester Day” at the World EXPO 2025 in Osaka
This year’s trip honours a commitment made during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by Mayor Andy Burnham and the Mayor of Osaka Hideyuki Yokoyama. It is set to strengthen our relationship with Japan and open up additional opportunities across trade and investment education, culture, sport, innovation, and sustainability.
Strengthening innovation and trade
The mission later this month will be about strengthening partnerships and building on the groundwork undertaken during the previous delegation in December 2023. It gives Japanese businesses the opportunity to explore Greater Manchester as a destination for investment, innovation and talent. At the same time, it allows Greater Manchester-based companies interested in Japan as an export market to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones. I am optimistic that our region will see a significant amount of trade and investment deals as a direct result of the mission.
We’ve already seen the benefits of bringing together business leaders across these two regions. During our delegation in 2023, I worked with partners from Deloitte Japan to help facilitate a key introduction to Panasonic which then led to a groundbreaking agreement with a consortium from Greater Manchester, including the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Manchester Metropolitan University, SSE Energy Solutions, Electricity North West and Carlton Power. The ultimate goal of this agreement is to enable the deployment Panasonic’s innovative hydrogen fuel cell technology in Greater Manchester, which should bring the city region closer to its net zero targets.
Net zero and sustainability
Sustainability will continue to be a central theme of this year’s trip, as Manchester and Osaka look to lead the way in the transition to a net zero economy. Throughout the week, we’ll explore joint efforts that can help both cities towards more sustainable practices.
I’m looking forward to the Low Carbon Summit hosted by Deloitte Japan in its Tokyo office. This will bring together major Japanese corporations, some of which are already partnering with Greater Manchester to accelerate climate action. I will also be moderating a panel for Manchester Day at the EXPO, where we will be discussing Greater Manchester’s role in the path to net zero.
Celebrating cultural connections
In addition to the core business elements, the mission is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural ties between our regions.
One of the cultural highlights of the trip, will be the world premiere of BLOOM, a creative performance telling the story of Manchester and Osaka dating back to 1865 through dance and music. The piece will be a gift to Osaka from the people of Greater Manchester. Featuring the world-renowned Hallé Orchestra, BLOOM will be a powerful moment that will sow the seeds for the wonderful Japan Week taking place in Manchester in September, where we will have another opportunity to celebrate our close connections through arts and culture.
Looking ahead
In a period marked by global uncertainties, building strong relationships with international partners is more important than ever. This mission will showcase what Manchester has to offer and will lay the foundations for more years of future collaboration. I look forward to the opportunities this mission will unlock and to building a lasting legacy of collaboration between Greater Manchester and Japan.