Law Society accompanies UK Government to Japan for market access discussions
News
The Law Society of England and Wales president Richard Atkinson joined the foreign secretary David Lammy MP and the secretary of state for business and trade Jonathan Reynolds MP last week* on a delegation to Japan, as a representative of one of the priority sectors of the government’s Industrial Strategy.**
Law Society president Richard Atkinson said: “The trip provided a unique opportunity to hold important discussions about the issues facing our members both in Japan and in the UK.
“I had the chance to speak with the foreign secretary about our recent market access win in Japan and the next set of issues that we aim to address, as well as about broader issues in relation to our members’ needs such as visas and youth mobility.
“Beyond market access, I spoke with the business secretary about a range of issues including funding for level 7 apprenticeships and immigration, and the importance of including legal services in expected trade negotiations with India and other countries.
“I also met with several representatives of UK law firms in Tokyo and the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan to learn more about recent developments, key priorities and current views of the Japanese legal services market.
“An important aspect of this visit was promoting English law and championing the value of an open legal services market to attract further inward investment into Japan. The discussions were ultimately positive, and we look forward to seeing continued progress.
“Demand for foreign legal services in Japan is expanding in line with an increase in international business transactions. This is driven in part by Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba's economic policies designed to attract foreign investment.
“This has led to an increase in cross-border M&A activity in Japan which has significantly increased the demand for international legal expertise.
“Improving the registration system for foreign lawyers in Japan, which remains a priority area of work for the Law Society, will help attract more English solicitors to Japan and will satisfy this growing demand for international legal expertise.”
Notes to editors
*The trip took place from 5-7 March 2025.
**The Law Society responded to the Government’s consultations on the Industrial Strategy and Trade Strategy. In our response, we stressed that the legal sector should be acknowledged as a priority in the Industrial Strategy.
There is untapped potential for an ambitious government to drive growth in legal services to deliver huge economic benefits and support public services. With the support of government, the sector can continue to support economic growth, job creation and the promotion of the jurisdiction.
To read our full response, see here.
About the Law Society
The Law Society is the independent professional body that works globally to support and represent solicitors, promoting the highest professional standards, the public interest and the rule of law.
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