§ 19. Mr. JoyceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what actions she is taking to encourage inward investment from Japan and South Korea. [33812]
§ Ms HewittI visited South Korea and Japan from 7-12 January and met existing and prospective investors in both individual and group meetings, including a meeting with senior representatives of the Japanese automotive industry in Tokyo.
The Invest UK teams in both South Korea and Japan organise a series of initiatives, including marketing programmes, company calls, seminars, company visits to the UK, and attendance at trade fairs, all aimed at encouraging companies to invest in the United Kingdom.
The attractions of the United Kingdom mean that this country remains the number one location for South Korean and Japanese foreign direct investment in the European Union. To maintain this position, in the face of difficult global economic conditions, Invest UK has intensified its efforts at attracting knowledge-driven, high value investments in the ICT, automotive, life sciences and financial services sectors.