First Ministers In Japan Business Meeting

First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness are leading their first business mission to Japan this week.

The four-day visit follows an invitation extended to the Ministers during the G8 Summit by Japanese Prime Minister Abe.

During the visit, the First Minister and deputy First Minister will meet with political representatives to promote trade, investment and tourism, as well as hold a number of meetings with existing and potential investors.

Speaking in advance of the visit, First Minister Peter Robinson said: "Japan is an important and growing export market for Northern Ireland companies currently worth in excess of £32million.

"Japanese owned business in Northern Ireland currently employ over 2,400 people and visits such as these are extremely important to developing important trade and investment relationships, and to show our commitment to supporting overseas companies to invest in Northern Ireland.

"After London, Belfast has attracted the most Foreign Direct Investment compared with any other city in the UK, particularly in technology and financial services."

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness added: "Japan's economy is the third largest in the world; bigger than the economies of Brazil, India, South Korea and Turkey combined making it a significant market for trade and investment.

"It is also our largest source of foreign direct investment from Asia-Pacific. We have a number of Japanese companies already established in the north of Ireland. This visit will give us the opportunity to meet with these companies and discuss ways in which we might be able to support them to grow their operations here."

(JP/CD)