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Greater Manchester leaders have set out their next steps to further strengthen business, investment and cultural ties with Japan in 2025.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham; Leader of Manchester City Council and GMCA Economy lead, Cllr Bev Craig; and Jo Ahmed, Honorary Consul of Japan in Greater Manchester, have announced plans to make Japan a key focus for deepening the city-region’s business and civic links overseas during 2025.
In December 2023, city-region leaders took part in a landmark mission to Japan, which included the signing of a new partnership with the city of Osaka, and in June Greater Manchester welcomed Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama and other senior delegates from the city.
As part of the deal signed with Osaka, Greater Manchester will appear at EXPO 2025 Osaka. The city-region will partner with the Department for Business and Trade and the UK Pavilion, as well as with Osaka City. Greater Manchester will take part in the week-long series of events taking place in June 2025 to engage with political leaders, trade officials, and Japanese businesses. The city of Manchester will also host Japan Week in September 2025, an international cultural festival showcasing traditional Japanese culture.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said:
“2025 will be the year that Greater Manchester and Japan take our partnership to the next level. Our city-region has a special connection to Japan that dates back centuries but is always forward-looking – focused on cooperation, innovation, and growth that benefits our people and places.
“We are ready to put Greater Manchester at the heart of the biggest international event in the world in Osaka next year, seizing new opportunities to boost trade, investment, and tourism – and we are excited to welcome the hundreds of performers and creators who make up Japan Week to our city-region.”
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, added:
“Manchester is a diverse and welcoming city enriched by our international communities. We’re proud of our historic connections with Japan and look forward to continuing to develop new and renewed partnerships throughout 2025 at EXPO and Japan Week. Culture is a great way to foster mutual understanding between cities and countries, and I am looking forward to seeing that exchange play out both in Japan and here in Manchester.”
Mayor of Osaka, Hideyuki Yokoyama, added:
“The recent delegation visit to Greater Manchester was incredibly meaningful. It bestowed a substantial occasion for both city-regions to further promote exchanges. I am also delighted that Greater Manchester delegates will be visiting Osaka in June 2025 for EXPO, and we sincerely look forward to welcoming them. Finally, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Manchester on being the host for the prestigious Japan Week. From Osaka, we wish for the utmost success of your events throughout 2025.”
Jo Ahmed, Honorary Consul of Japan in Greater Manchester, added:
“As Honorary Consul of Japan and Chair of the Manchester Japan Steering group, it is fantastic to see the strength of partnership that has developed between Greater Manchester and Japan across several areas including business and innovation links as well as through culture and sport. I am so pleased that Greater Manchester will be taking part in EXPO 2025 and hosting the 50th Japan Week here in Manchester, and look forward to seeing the untold benefits these events will bring.”
With links going back to the Industrial Revolution, Greater Manchester’s engagement with Osaka has included a partnership signed in December 2023 which committed both parties to closer collaboration and cooperation at an inter-city level, seeking to strengthen exchanges on environmental policy areas and the delivery of net zero objectives; to promote economic opportunities and develop robust collaborative ties; and to boost innovation and educational links between the universities in both city-regions.
Japan is also one of Greater Manchester’s most important economic partners. Greater Manchester exported £99 million worth of goods to Japan in 2022, and in 2021 service exports from the city-region to Japan were valued at £151 million – putting Japan in Greater Manchester’s top 10 service export markets.
Final dates, venues, and the full programme for Greater Manchester’s presence at EXPO 2025 and for Japan Week 2025 will be announced in the coming months.