The Institute for Manufacturing took part in a workshop aimed at building closer links between industrialists, officials and academics involved with manufacturing in the UK and Japan.

The event, held in Tokyo on 19 June, was jointly organised by the IfM, Science and Innovation Network (SIN) Japan and the University of Tokyo.

The workshop saw key experts from the UK and Japan share processes and findings concerning manufacturing futures, gain a mutual understanding of the national manufacturing policy landscapes and identify cooperation opportunities between the UK and Japan in the development of high value manufacturing, with a final aim of developing frameworks to enable continuing dialogue between the UK and Japan.

Professor Sir Mike Gregory, Head of IfM and Dr Carlos Lopez-Gomez, Research Associate at the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy represented the IfM at the event.

Other key experts present included: Paul McCaffrey, Project Leader of the Future of Manufacturing Project Foresight, UK Government Office for Science; Chris Carr, Deputy Director Manufacturing, Services & Electronics, Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS); Professor Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, Director-General, Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST); Professor Yashiro, Vice President and Professor of Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo; and Dr Michiharu Nakamura, President, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).

Mike commented: 'We were delighted to find so many areas of common interest and agreement together with a shared enthusiasm for developing a better understanding of the changing face of global manufacturing and identifying areas for future partnership.'

The workshop was followed by a seminar led by the UK experts and a networking reception.

A summary report has now been issued and is available to view below: