No Brexit fears for new honorary consul of Japan
The new honorary consul of Japan in Manchester has shrugged off fears that Brexit could damage business links the world’s third largest economy.
Deloitte partner and head of its global employer services team in Manchester, Jo Ahmed, was speaking after being officially installed into the role last night (Monday, February 12).
She was taking over from Peter Heginbotham, who has carried out the role for the last 10 years, at a ceremony in front of the mayors of the surrounding Greater Manchester authorities as well as business leaders from Japanese companies in the North West which employ about 29,000 people.
London-based Japanese ambassador Koji Tsuruoka performed the handover at Manchester Art Gallery but in doing so made little to no mention of the comments he made several days ago when he laid bare the growing nervousness about the looming Brexit on the Japanese car giants, banks, and tech companies after meeting Prime Minister Theresa May in Downing Street.
Then, he reportedly said: “If here is no profitability of continuing operation in the UK, not Japanese only, no private company can continue operations.”
However, Ahmed told TheBusinessDesk.com there was much cause of optimism with the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 putting Japan in the global spotlight.
She said: “I think it’s a great opportunity for businesses to look at Japan now and see what the opportunities are for collaboration.
“There are still opportunities in the UK, and it’s about finding what they are and making them work.
“I am convinced that there are opportunities there, regardless of the Brexit outcome. I don’t think the embassy would be renewing the honorary consul in Manchester if they didn’t feel there was still a business need to do that, because this is a business role.
Asked about Tsuruoka’s comments a week ago, she went on: “I think the fact that they have appointed me as honorary consul is evidence of the fact they still believe there is a strong business relationship there.
“This is very much a Manchester role, and it’s about helping the Japanese businesses that are here.”
