People sometimes say that British business doesn't have a very high profile in Japan. That could be because, quite literally, many of our exports are invisible. Two encounters this week have brought that home to me.
One was a showcase at the Embassy by Imagination Technologies, developers of video and graphics imaging technology. They licence their technology to Japan and it is present in just about every mobile device, satnav, games machine and TV produced here - which means that probably every consumer in Japan is using British technology without having the slightest inkling of it.
The second was a meeting with Tate & Lyle, who sell their artificial sweetener, Sucralose, to just about every major Japanese food and drink manufacturer. That means it features in over 6,000 products and is almost certainly eaten by everyone in Japan every day (apart, I suppose, from Buddhist monks on their macrobiotic diets). I'm writing this on the bullet train en route to Osaka (great view of Mount Fuji today!) and a quick check of the packed lunch I bought at the station reveals that it's in my drink of grapefruit-flavoured water and in my yoghurt. Tempting to stand up and draw this to the attention of my fellow travellers, but probably not good train etiquette so have refrained.
This is just the tip of the invisible iceberg. Services represent about 55% of our total exports to Japan, with financial, legal and business services right up there among our top performers, along with shipping and design. Less obviously, we also earn lots of income each year from royalties (the Beatles live on in Japan) and from license fees. That's where Imagination Technologies' business comes in of course, but also the licensing income from merchandise using brands such as Daks, Wedgwood, Beatrix Potter and the National Trust. A Peter Rabbit toilet roll holder anyone?
Sue Kinoshita
UKTI Japan
1 comment
Comment by TheKerb.com posted on
Hi,
Our business with Japan has increased year on year over the last 6 years by around 8%.
No Complaints here!