29 January 2008

On 1 January the Government of Japan established the post of Honorary Consul of Japan in Manchester, and on the same day appointed Mr Peter Heginbotham, OBE, LLB., FRSA (*), to this new position.

In addition to his long and successful career as a lawyer in the Greater Manchester area of North West England, Mr Heginbotham has served as President of Manchester Chamber of Commerce, whose board he now chairs, and has worked at national level with the British Chambers of Commerce. In addition, he is Chair of Manchester Enterprises Limited, the economic development agency for Greater Manchester, and plays a prominent role in the area��s business and legal communities.

The appointment as Honorary Consul of Mr Heginbotham, who is highly regarded by the Manchester city authorities as well as political and business circles in the region, and who is keen to promote Japan-UK relations, was made in the light of the substantial Japanese population and the large number of Japanese companies in Manchester and elsewhere in North West England.

In his role as Honorary Consul, Mr Heginbotham will provide support for Japanese companies, promote understanding of Japan, gather information about the region, help Japanese citizens in emergencies, oversee cultural events and foster cordial relations with the city and regional authorities, and by so doing will assist the Embassy in its mission. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce, and various events have been planned to step up the level of interaction between our two countries and peoples. The appointment of Mr Heginbotham as Honorary Consul will surely contribute to deeper mutual understanding between the peoples of Japan and North West England.

Note

(*) Mr Heginbotham can be contacted at: Davis Blank Furniss (solicitors)
90 Deansgate, Manchester M3 2QJ
Tel: 0161 828 3913

For further information, please contact:
Economic Section, Embassy of Japan
Tel: 020 7465 6638
Fax: 020 7495 8275
Email: business-support@jpembassy.org.uk