UK Japan 21st Century Group                 

The UK-Japan 21st Century Group was established in 1984 as the UK-Japan 2000 Group at the joint recommendation of the British and Japanese Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher and Yasuhiro Nakasone. It is the most senior bilateral body acting in the sphere of UK-Japan relations and maintains close ties with both governments and with related organisations.

The primary purpose of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group is to promote dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. Members include parliamentarians, business leaders and representatives from the media, think tanks and academia. At the Group’s annual conference, held alternate years in the UK and Japan, delegates discuss any issue that might affect our bilateral ties and make suggestions on how to enhance them. The Chairmen’s summary and recommendations from the conference are then sent to both Prime Ministers and to government departments for consideration and action.

The Co-Chairmen of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group are The Rt Hon Lord McConnell PC and Mr Seiji Kihara MP. Together, they lead discussions on political, economic and social developments in both countries, on opportunities for industrial cooperation, and on issues relating to trade and investment, global security, health, international development and education.

42nd Annual Conference in Tokyo and Fujiyoshida 12-15 March 2026

Members of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group March 2026

The 42nd Annual Meeting of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group was held in Tokyo and Fujiyoshida on 12-15 March 2026. The UK delegation began their stay in Tokyo where they met the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, Mr Kei Sato, at the Prime Minister's office, and attended a reception hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo.

More than 40 members from the UK and Japan participated in the dialogue.  Over the course of six sessions, politicians, journalists, businesspeople and academics discussed key topics including the latest political and economic developments in each country, global geopolitical challenges, space and cyber security, collaboration in advanced science, technology, education and research, global health challenges and strengthening multilateral frameworks in foreign and security policy.

42nd Annual Conference Summary

The UK-Japan 21st Century Group also holds other occasional meetings and discussions.  The most recent of these was a webinar on developments in UK-Japan political relations led by the Foreign Office Minister Seema Malhotra in March 2026. 

Conference Summaries and Recommendations for previous years can be downloaded from the JCIE website here. 

The UK-Japan 21st Century Group greatly benefits from the support of its corporate sponsors, BAE Systems, Terumo BCT Europe, AstraZeneca, Richmond Pharmacology, Astellas Pharma Europe, and Oxford Nanopore Technologies.

Members of the Board of Directors

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale PC (Chairman)
Baroness Morgan of Cotes (Treasurer)
David Fitton CMG (Executive Director)
Baroness Barker
Lord Lansley of Orford CBE
Paul Madden CMG
Dr John Nilsson-Wright
Sylvain Lacomble

A wider informal group of members, representing a range of UK-Japan interests and experience, are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting and to participate in other events arranged by the Group.

For further information about the UK-Japan 21st Century Group, including membership and sponsorship enquiries, contact David Fitton, Executive Director (david@fitton.org.uk).

The UK-Japan 21st Century Group is a company limited by guarantee (registered in England No. 2042768) and is registered with the Charity Commission (registration number 295006). The Group’s UK secretariat is based at The Japan Society in London. JCIE (Japan Center for International Exchange) serves as the secretariat in Japan.