Japan Calls for Regular Talks on U.K.’s EU Exit Plan

Japan’s ambassador to the U.K. has asked for regular meetings with the British government to about the country’s strategy for exiting the European Union.

Koji Tsuruoka notes during a reception in Parliament that Japan has a “quite significant” economic presence in the U.K. and is eager to maintain it. He urges the country to do a better job of communicating what it is doing to ensure a business climate that will encourage Japanese industry to stay and invest.

Tsuruoka praised Nissan Motor Co.’s announcement last week to commit next-generation vehicle programs to its big factory in Sunderland, England, and cited Prime Minister Theresa May’s efforts to make it possible.

Business Secretary Greg Clark has continued to deflect demands that he disclose the full contents of a letter he sent to Nissan last month to persuade them to maintain full operations in England. Clark says he has made the same assurances to other carmakers operating in the U.K. But he argues that making the Nissan letter public could hurt the company by revealing insights about its investment plans to competitors.

Separately, Honda Motor Co. says its communication with the British government has “improved significantly," the Financial Times reports. The carmaker says it will continue its operations in the U.K. “for now." But FT says it cautions that a formal decision has not yet been made.