UK foreign secretary in Japan with Nissan and Toyota in mind

[LONDON] The UK's top diplomat is headed to Japan to discuss trade after Brexit with an economy that's played a vital role in propping up manufacturing back home.

Boris Johnson is in Tokyo for a two-day visit to meet top Japanese officials, business leaders and investors as well as British business representatives.

Read more about the companies the Brits need to keep on side Japanese companies invest more than £40 billion (S$71.313 billion) in the UK with carmakers Nissan Motor and Toyota Motor helping employ thousands of workers in economically-depressed parts of Britain, according to Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The UK government has courted both companies to keep their factories in the country in spite of the uncertainty surrounding Brexit.

"I have come to Japan to build on our historic relationship, which is based on common values, support for democracy, human rights and free and open markets," said Mr Johnson in emailed comments.

He will then travel on to New Zealand and Australia.

BLOOMBERG