Lecture by Julia Longbottom CMG, British Ambassador to Japan

Date
Thursday 12 February 2026

Time
6.00 for 6.30pm
(reception afterwards until 8.30pm)

Venue
Nomura
One Angel Lane
London EC4R 3AB

Booking Details
Free - Booking essential
Members of The Japan Society and their guests only

Please note this is a hybrid event with the option to attend in-person or online. For in-person attendance, click the button below to book your place(s); to book a place to attend online, please click here. 

We are delighted to welcome the British Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom CMG, to address The Japan Society members once again. The UK–Japan relationship remains stronger than ever, with continued efforts to deepen ties across trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange.

In this lecture, Julia Longbottom will reflect on key developments that shaped bilateral relations in 2025, including progress on the Hiroshima Accord Commitments, the first anniversary of the UK’s accession to CPTPP, progress under the UK–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, and the significance of the visit of the Carrier Strike Group and of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. She will also review the UK’s participation in the Osaka–Kansai World Expo and its role in promoting innovation. Drawing on her unique perspective as the UK’s representative in Tokyo, Julia will share insights into the political, diplomatic, and business landscape in Japan, and outline ambitions for the future of UK–Japan relations as we move into 2026.

The Japan Society’s annual lecture by the British Ambassador is always relevant, thought-provoking and useful to people from across its membership, as well as being extremely well attended. The Ambassador will speak for 30-40 minutes, after which there will be time for off-the-record discussion and questions.

The Japan Society is extremely grateful to leading Corporate Supporter, Nomura, for hosting this event. We would also like to thank Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association for generously providing sake for the reception.

Julia Longbottom was appointed British Ambassador to Japan in March 2021. She has spent over half her career as a diplomat working on North-East Asian affairs. This includes two previous postings to the British Embassy in Tokyo, first as Second Secretary Political in 1990 to 1993, then Minister and Deputy Head of Mission in 2012 to 2016. In the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London, she led on Hong Kong Nationality and Immigration issues in 1994 to 1997, and headed the Far Eastern, then China, Department in 2009 to 2012. She is a Japanese speaker, and the first woman to hold the post of British Ambassador to Japan. Prior to this she was the FCO’s Director for Consular Services globally (2016 to 2020) and set up and ran the Coronavirus Task Force for 6 months in 2020. She has held a range of other roles including Director of Strategy and Human Resources in UK Trade & Investment (2006 to 2009), Consul General in Warsaw (2003-2006), and Head of Political/EU affairs in the British Embassy in The Hague (1998-2002). Julia is the first female British Ambassador to Japan and is a passionate champion for women’s sport. She is a proud supporter of her daughter Natalie Sciver-Brunt, who has played for cricket England for over 10 years and has been awarded the ICC Women’s World Cricketer of the Year twice, in 2022 and 2023.

If you have any questions, please call The Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email us at: events@japansociety.org.uk

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Sake reception supported by:

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