Our vision
A future of young leaders in the UK and Japan who drive forward positive change for our nations through a legacy of connections and shared opportunities for the next generation of leaders in the UK-Japan partnership.
Voices of support
I'm delighted to see the launch of the MUSUBI initiative to invest in the next generation of UK and Japanese leaders. The UK Japan partnership has never been stronger. […] Through the MUSUBI initiative, we will boost these exchanges and create the next generation of international talent to tackle the challenges and grasp the opportunities ahead of us.
The UK and Japan enjoy a dynamic and enduring trading relationship, with £86 billion in investment to the UK economy. As part of the Government's Plan for Change, initiatives like the MUSUBI Initiative and Expo 2025 are helping to strengthen our ties with key economic partners, creating new opportunities for businesses and deepening people-to-people connections across the World.
The relationship between the UK and Japan is the strongest it has ever been. We invite businesses and organisations to join us as we look to build the shared leadership needed to grasp future opportunities and tackle future challenges
I am delighted that we have deepened our relationship with Japan further through this new MUSUBI Initiative, which will create even more opportunities for businesses in both the UK and Japan now and in the future.
It is connections between people that develop our societies and serve as a foundation for exchanges between countries. […] I hope this initiative will strengthen our "MUSUBI (bonds)" especially among the younger generation and that our partnership, now stronger than ever, will continue to grow.
Young people are key to our shared future. The MUSUBI Initiative will encourage, support and nurture the next generation of future leaders. This will be through a range of programmes, to strengthen meaningful personal connections between the UK and Japan. Through these connections, we can build our shared leadership to seize opportunities and tackle the challenges ahead of us.
What's new
Applications open for ‘MUSUBI Women in the Board Room’ from Odgers and Chubu Electric
This MUSUBI programme, led by Odgers Berndtson and Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., supports emerging female leaders in Japan and the UK through mentorship by senior executives. Aimed at addressing gender imbalance in leadership and strengthening UK-Japan ties, it empowers women at Director level and above to reach C-suite or Board roles with guidance from...
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attended a reception at the British Embassy Tokyo to launch new UK-Japan partnership programmes as part of MUSUBI Initiative
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attended a reception at British Embassy Tokyo celebrating the expansion of the MUSUBI Initiative, strengthening UK-Japan ties.
Women’s Economic Empowerment Event at the UK Pavilion in World Expo 2025 Osaka
On 8 August 2025, the UK and Japan co-hosted a Women’s Economic Empowerment Event (WEE)