City of London Lord Mayor Nicholas Lyons welcomed leading Japanese banks ahead of his visit to the nation next month.  

Speaking at a roundtable event hosted by the Association of Foreign Banks at Mansion House, the Lord Mayor emphasised the significance of the UK-Japan bilateral relationship and the shared ambition of London and Tokyo to enhance their positions as global financial services hubs.  

The Lord Mayor also noted the new opportunities for Japanese banks investing in the UK brought about by the government’s Edinburgh Reforms and the Financial Services and Markets Bill, in addition to the Corporation’s own Finance for Growth and Future Growth Fund programmes.  

Lord Mayor, Nicholas Lyons said:  

“The City of London Corporation and Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) share a similarly strong connection united by an ambition to enhance our positions as global financial services hubs and support greater interconnectedness between our markets, an ambition that was reflected in the 2017 MoU between our organisations.  

“As our countries outline their ambitions to reduce their emissions and reliance on fossil fuels, there’s a growing need for a range of sustainable finance products and services which presents an opportunity for our financial service sectors.  

“Next month, I’ll travel to Japan to discuss how we can collaborate in these areas and make our partnership stronger.”  

Giles French, Association of Foreign Banks CEO said:  

“Japanese banks are a major contributor to the London financial ecosystem, one of our biggest investors and employers.  

“As the trading and investment relationship between our two countries grow, it’s only more important the priorities of Japanese institutions are informing the UK’s approach to financial regulatory reform.”