• City of London Corporation and Embassy of Japan bring together government, financial services and business leaders as Japan Weeks 2026 gets underway.
• Japan Day builds on the Lady Mayor’s visit to Tokyo in June and ongoing work to deepen investment and financial services links.
• Networking reception at Mansion House will bring together government, financial services and business leaders to strengthen UK-Japan ties.

The City of London Corporation and the Embassy of Japan in the UK are today bringing together government, financial services and business leaders for Japan Day, coinciding with the start of Japan Weeks 2026, running from 26 to 30 October. Japan Day will celebrate the longstanding relationship between the UK and Japan while looking ahead to new opportunities for investment, innovation and financial services cooperation.

The day will include a Japan-UK Financial Seminar at Nomura International, bringing together government and industry leaders to discuss how private capital can support shared priorities. Speakers and panellists include Lucy Rigby KC MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury; Hiroshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan to the UK; and senior representatives from Mizuho Financial Group, Deloitte, Nomura Asset Management UK and L&G.

The programme includes a panel on ‘Two Growth Strategies: Mobilising UK–Japan Private Capital into Shared Priorities’, with representatives from Mizuho Financial Group, Deloitte, Nomura Asset Management UK and L&G.

The seminar will be followed by a networking reception at Mansion House, celebrating the wider relationship between the two countries. The Lady Mayor and Ambassador of Japan to the UK Hiroshi Suzuki will take part in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony during the reception.

Now in its fourth edition, Japan Weeks, organised by Japan’s Financial Services Agency, brings together a series of finance-focused events showcasing Japan’s financial and capital markets to international investors and asset managers.

Japan Day also builds on the Lady Mayor’s visit to Tokyo earlier this year, where she met insurers, banks, asset managers and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The visit, on 17–18 June, highlighted opportunities for closer UK-Japan cooperation across emerging risk management, asset management and capital mobilisation, transition finance and financial innovation.

The City Corporation’s engagement with Japan will continue on Tuesday 27 October with the Tokyo-London Sustainable Finance Seminar 2026, jointly hosted with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The Lady Mayor will deliver a pre-recorded keynote address at the event, which will focus on the role of finance in building a sustainable and resilient society and strengthening UK-Japan collaboration on natural disaster risks.

Lady Mayor of the City of London, Dame Susan Langley DBE, said:

“Today is an opportunity to celebrate the deep friendship between our two countries, from our economic ties to the cultural and personal connections that bring our people together, and to look ahead to what more we can achieve together.

“My visit to Tokyo earlier this year reinforced just how much London and Japan have in common, and the appetite on both sides to deepen our partnership. From mobilising capital and supporting investment to insurance, transition finance and innovation, there are real opportunities to combine our strengths.

“Japan Day brings that conversation back to London. By bringing government, investors and industry together, we can build on the trusted relationship between our two markets and turn it into new opportunities for businesses, investors and sustainable growth.”

Ambassador of Japan to the UK, Hiroshi Suzuki, said:

“I am delighted that the Embassy and the City of London are co-hosting Japan Day, which celebrates the strong partnership between the UK and Japan's economic and financial sectors. I believe this event will serve as a platform to deepen our ties and create new opportunities for business and investment, underpinned by mutual trust and cooperation.”

Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby KC MP, said:

“The UK-Japan financial services relationship continues to go from strength to strength. As two of the world's leading asset management centres, we share an ambitious agenda and a strong appetite to work together. Japan Day is an opportunity to build on that momentum and further deepen our investment ties.”

Shogo Ohira, Vice Chairman, Nomura Europe Holdings, said:

“It is an honour to be able to host this seminar at Nomura’s London office to highlight the importance of the relationship between the UK and Japan as well as the role that financial services can play in mobilising capital to help develop sustainable economic growth in both countries”.

ENDS

Notes to editors

About Japan Weeks 2026

Japan Weeks 2026 is the fourth edition of the initiative, first held in 2023. Led by Japan’s Financial Services Agency, it brings together finance-focused events showcasing Japan’s financial and capital markets and government initiatives to overseas investors and asset management firms.

The core week runs from 26–30 October 2026, with related events taking place in the weeks before and after.

Tokyo-London Sustainable Finance Seminar 2026

The Tokyo-London Sustainable Finance Seminar 2026 will take place on Tuesday 27 October from 18:00–19:30 JST at Tokyo Innovation Base. It is jointly hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the City of London Corporation and will focus on resilience, including the role of finance in creating a sustainable and resilient society and preparations for natural disaster risks.

The Lady Mayor will deliver a pre-recorded keynote address, alongside opening remarks from Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo. The programme also includes discussions on the evolving role of finance in supporting sustainable and resilient societies and UK-Japan collaboration on natural disaster risks.

The seminar forms part of Tokyo Sustainable Finance Week, which runs from 21–30 October 2026 and brings together participants including financial institutions in Japan and overseas to discuss global trends and private-sector initiatives in sustainable finance.

The seminar is also being held as part of cooperation under the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of London Corporation and Tokyo Metropolitan Government, originally concluded in December 2017 and revised in September 2025. The agreement covers areas including financial-sector events, financial innovation, UK-Japan investment and sustainable finance.

About the City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk.