Mayor leads trade mission to Singapore and Japan to drive trade, investment and cultural links
- Sadiq believes at a time of great geopolitical upheaval, it has never been more important to further collaborate and increase trade with major Asian economies such as Japan and Singapore
- Mayor to launch major new international tourism and investment campaign
- Sadiq will deliver keynote lecture at World Cities Summit in Singapore in honour of London winning prestigious Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize
- In Tokyo, Mayor will meet with major businesses and investors from finance, tech, real estate, sport, creative and entertainment industries
- Trade delegation of 28 leading London businesses attending to explore new opportunities
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan will this week lead trade missions to Singapore and Tokyo, Japan, banging the drum for the capital as a place to invest and developing cultural links.
Over four days, Sadiq will meet with political, business and cultural leaders to promote London, working to drive trade and investment across critical sectors including finance, tech, real estate, sport and the creative industries.
At a time of major geopolitical upheaval, including the continuing impact of Brexit, the fallout from US tariffs and President Trump’s illegal war on Iran, the Mayor will argue that now, more than ever, we need to strengthen our diplomatic, economic and trade ties with trusted and reliable allies such as Japan and Singapore.
Alongside the visit, the Mayor’s growth agency London & Partners (L&P) will host two trade delegations comprising almost 30 London-based companies that are looking to grow their businesses and access opportunities in this dynamic and important region of the world.
The UK and Asia-Pacific trading relationship is worth £126bn and Singapore is the UK’s 19th largest trading partner, accounting for 1.4 per cent of total UK trade in 2025. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Singapore was £28.3bn in 2025.*
In the last year, the Government has signed a new partnership with Singaporean bank OCBC, which will help unlock £10bn of investment into key priority sectors in the UK including energy, infrastructure and real estate. Both countries have also recently signed a major med-tech agreement that will speed up patient access to breakthrough therapies and technologies.
Singapore
In Singapore, the Mayor will launch a major new international tourism and investment campaign to promote the capital to visitors and businesses.
Sadiq will deliver the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Lecture at the bi-annual World Cities Summit in Singapore, a global platform for government leaders and industry experts to discuss how best to confront urgent shared challenges and forge new partnerships. London was named the recipient of the 2026 World City Prize in March, recognising the city’s outstanding achievements in urban development, innovation, and strategic leadership.
At the summit, the Mayor will meet with the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lawrence Wong and discuss deepening trade and investment links.
London has a growing economic relationship with Singapore. In 2022, GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, bought a large part of the Paddington Central development in a £694m deal and Singapore’s Royal Group of Companies is investing around £110m in a new hotel on Picadilly.
To build on these links, the Mayor will meet with major Singaporean developers and real estate groups with a strong track record in London. The Mayor will also explore innovative ways of delivering new housing in London by engaging with Singapore’s state-owned Housing Delivery Board, who are responsible for building around 80 per cent of homes and owning the vast majority of land in the country.
Developing business opportunities for companies attending the trade delegations is one of the main aims of the trip and in Singapore the Mayor will host an exclusive event with KPMG bringing together leading figures from London, Singapore, and wider South-East Asian financial services and tech sectors. Attendees will include prominent founders, investors, senior policymakers, and ecosystem leaders, offering a valuable platform to strengthen ties and explore global tech partnerships.
He will also attend the King's Birthday Party in Singapore - an annual, high-profile diplomatic event hosted by the British High Commission to celebrate the reigning monarch and strengthen UK-Singapore relations, attended by dignitaries, members of the armed forces, and representatives from various sectors.
Japan
The Mayor will then travel to Tokyo, capital city of Japan. **Japan was the UK’s 15th largest trading partner in 2025 accounting for 1.8 per cent of total UK trade. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Japan was £33.4bn in 2025, with around 16,600 UK businesses importing or exporting goods from Japan.
Japanese investment into London is experiencing a strong resurgence. The Mayor will meet senior executives from Mitsui Fudosan who are investing £1.1bn to create new commercial spaces and extensive public access land at the British Library. He will also meet officials from Japanese property development company Mitsubishi Estate who have started work to create a new thriving creative industries hub, set to create 4,000 new jobs on the site of the former ITV Studio on the Southbank.
To maximise trade opportunities, the Mayor will meet with senior Japanese business figures and investors and attend an event in partnership with the British Chamber of Commerce Japan where he will talk about the importance of ‘looking East’ for trade and investment opportunities.
He will also host a major business event - in partnership with TiB-Tokyo Innovation Base - connecting London’s leading creative tech scaleups with Japan’s innovation community. This event will spotlight London as a world-class environment for creative technology innovation, while fostering new connections between UK and Japanese founders, corporates, investors, and policymakers.
He will also meet with the Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike to discuss shared challenges, in particular the growth of AI and the need for cities to be at the forefront of harnessing the huge potential positives of AI to ensure it benefits society, rather than allowing it to shape us to our detriment.
Both London and Tokyo recently became founding members of the Mayors AI Forum, bringing together mayors from around the globe to shape how AI is developed and deployed. In addition, he will also celebrate the historic ties between London Underground and the Tokyo Metro at a special event marking the centenary of the Ginza Line.
London is the largest gaming city in Europe across and is home to the largest group of games studios in Europe including the studios behind global successes from the Batman Arkham series to the Candy Crush Saga. In addition, the UK Esports market is on track to grow to over £800 million by 2030, with major events delivering significant social and economic value to host cities The Mayor will also look to develop closer ties between London and Tokyo in these ever-expanding industries so that these sectors can continue to thrive and drive growth.
Following the success of the Grand Sumo Tournament at Royal Albert Hall last year, the Mayor will also meet with the Japan Sumo Association to explore further ways of working together in the future.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Across the world, countries committed to the rules-based order are grappling with the fallout from US tariffs and President Trump’s war on Iran. Now more than ever, we need to strengthen our diplomatic, economic and trade ties with trusted and reliable allies.
“At a time of geopolitical upheaval and global energy shocks, we need to be looking outwards and working with allies abroad who have a shared interest in upholding international law and free and fair trade. That is why I am delighted to be leading business delegations to Singapore and Japan this week to bang the drum for the capital and further develop the strong ties between our countries.
“The UK and Asia-Pacific trading relationship is hugely important and I will be working tirelessly to promote the capital and encourage major businesses from Singapore and Japan to invest in our great city. I will also be working hard to encourage tourists to visit the capital, dispelling some of the harmful myths promoted by politicians and commentators who continue to denigrate London and talk our great city down.
“I am truly honoured to have been invited to speak at the World Cities Summit, in recognition of London winning the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, recognising the city’s outstanding achievements in urban development, innovation, and strategic leadership.
London’s friendship with Singapore and Japan is stronger than ever - and our city remains open and ready to grow ties through investment, tourism and cultural exchange as I work to build a better and fairer city for everyone.”
Laura Citron OBE, CEO of London & Partners, said: “It's an honour to bring these brilliant London businesses into some of the most exciting cities in Asia-Pacific.
Singapore has one of the world's strongest finance sectors, making it a natural destination for our fintech and cybersecurity trade mission. Japan is a global creative powerhouse when it comes to film, music, and gaming and, like London, has a thriving immersive experience and entertainment sector. These London businesses are hungry for new deals. The tailor-made trade mission programmes will get them in front of the right decision-makers quickly. It's money-can't-buy access which is proven to grow London businesses into global champions.”
HE Nik Mehta OBE, British High Commissioner to Singapore, said: “I’m delighted to welcome the Mayor of London to Singapore at such an exciting moment in our bilateral relationship and to see my home city awarded the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew World City prize. This visit is a great opportunity to deepen ties between London and Singapore across commerce, innovation, the creative industries and beyond.
London and Singapore are globally connected, outward-looking cities, united by openness, talent and ideas. I look forward to supporting the Mayor’s programme in Singapore, including at the King’s Birthday Party, and to deepening the partnerships that will drive future growth, investment and collaboration between our two great cities.”
Corin Robertson CMG, His Majesty’s Designate Ambassador to Japan, said: “The UK-Japan partnership - built on our shared interests in resilient economic growth, collective security, and deep connection between our people and cultures - has never been stronger. The Mayor’s visit highlights the close and growing ties between London and Tokyo, and the real opportunities for our businesses, innovators and creative industries to grow together. I’m particularly pleased to see London’s innovative companies engaging directly in Japan, building connections that will drive growth and endure well beyond the visit.”
Sarah Backley, Executive Director at The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, said: “It has been a pleasure working closely with the Mayor of London and London & Partners on what is a highly anticipated visit to Japan.
“London and Tokyo are two of the world's leading global cities, connected by deep and longstanding ties across business, finance, innovation, education and culture. At a time when the international business environment is becoming increasingly complex, the value of trusted partnerships and strong people-to-people connections has never been greater.
“The Mayor's visit, alongside the accompanying creative technology delegation, reflects the tremendous opportunity for our cities to deepen collaboration in sectors that will shape the future economy. The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan is delighted to support this important engagement and look forward to welcoming Mayor Khan and his delegation to Tokyo.”
Sabrina Del Prete, Founder & CEO of Kore Labs, a fintech company on the L&P trade mission to Singapore, said: "It is a great pleasure to be joining this Grow London Global trade mission to Singapore with London & Partners. We are proud to represent UK fintech and the London ecosystem alongside such a strong group of companies. Happy to be returning to Singapore, one of the world's most sophisticated financial markets. We look forward to building on existing connections and making new ones as we continue to grow internationally."
Ian Forrester, CEO and founder of DAIVID, a Createch company on the L&P trade mission to Tokyo, said: "We’re delighted to be joining the Grow London trade mission to Japan. As the world’s third-largest advertising market, Japan represents a significant growth opportunity for DAIVID, particularly as brands and media owners increasingly seek more sophisticated ways to measure creative effectiveness and emotional engagement.
“This trade mission provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen existing relationships, explore new partnerships and further deepen collaboration between the UK and Japanese advertising industries. We’re grateful to Grow London for supporting ambitious London businesses as they expand into such an important market."
Notes to editors
Established in 2010 by the Singapore Government’s Urban Redevelopment Authority and Centre for Liveable Cities - the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize recognises key leaders and organisations for displaying foresight and innovation. Some past winners include Seoul, Vienna, Cape Town and most recently Mexico City who won the prize because of its large-scale, people-focused transformation in the face of major urban challenges like congestion, inequality, and climate risk.
Major initiatives that contributed to London’s recognition include:
- Clean air and social programmes: The Ultra Low Emission Zone has cut nitrogen dioxide emissions by an estimated 54 per cent in central London, enabling the London to meet legal limits almost 200 years earlier than was projected when the Mayor took office in 2016. Free school meals for primary children have saved families £500 a year per child, on top of addressing inequality.
- World-class transport and regeneration: Major investments in transport have made the city more connected and sustainable. The Elizabeth Line has carried 750 million passengers in its first three years of operation and catalysed the development of more than 71,000 new homes, demonstrating how transit and housing integration can drive urban regeneration.
- Transformational redevelopment projects: Areas such as King’s Cross and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park have become vibrant mixed-use districts, combining infrastructure, culture, business, and academic institutions to create jobs and foster collaboration.
- Inclusive public spaces: London’s planning policies ensure that new developments include community facilities, green spaces, and cultural programming, creating inclusive and liveable neighbourhoods.
- Global leadership in economy, research, and culture: London remains a world-leader in finance, technology, life sciences, and the arts, with top universities, cultural institutions, theatres, and music venues reinforcing its international reputation. The city is also a major global destination for sport, hosting iconic events such as the London Marathon, FA Cup and Six Nations while being home to multiple Premier League clubs.
The UK has trading agreements with Japan and Singapore under both the UK–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which now operates in parallel with CEPA.
The UK has strong bilateral trading relationship with Singapore accounting for four per cent of UK goods exports to Singapore in 2025 and over 45 per cent of UK services exports. London is also a major gateway for Singapore goods and services entering the UK, representing 13 per cent of UK goods imports and over 45 per cent of services imports from Singapore.
UK exports to Japan grew to £16 billion in 2025, while imports remained stable at £17.5 billion.
London plays a central role in the UK–Japan trade corridor, accounting for 9 per-cent of UK goods exports to Japan in 2025 and 48 per-cent of UK services exports in 2023. London is also a major gateway for Japanese goods and services entering the UK, representing 8 per-cent of UK goods imports and 35 per-cent of services imports from Japan.
*Department for Business and Trade, Singapore Trade and Investment factsheet - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c27760b920af63be1c7745/singapore-trade-and-investment-factsheet-2026-03-26.pdf
**Department for Business and Trade, Japan Trade and Investment factsheet - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c273edcfa346b9d4704b51/japan-trade-and-investment-factsheet-2026-03-26.pdf
Grow London Global is a programme designed to support high-growth businesses in London in expanding their international presence. It offers tailored support through high-impact events, workshops, trade missions, and networking opportunities to accelerate market entry and investment success. The programme aims to help scale ups access global markets and connect with investors and corporates, enhancing their business growth strategies. Since its inception, it has supported numerous companies contributing to the growth of London’s economy.
Grow London Global
The Grow London Global delegation to Singapore brings together two of the world’s leading fintech hubs to unlock new opportunities for collaboration, investment, and growth.
We are delighted to be joined by some of London’s most exciting fintech companies as we travel to Singapore to build partnerships, exchange ideas, and unlock new opportunities for growth. This mission is about building partnerships that accelerate innovation and drive long-term growth across both ecosystems.
The first Grow London Global Creative Tech delegation to Tokyo and Osaka aims to strengthen London’s economic, cultural, and innovation to Japan. By deepening relationships with government, business, and technology leaders across both cities, the visit will drive innovation, trade, and investment – while supporting London-based companies to expand into this key market and showcasing London as a global leader in the creative industries.
This mission offers a unique opportunity to explore both ecosystems, connect with corporates, investors, government, and the wider media and tech community, and build lasting partnerships that fuel innovation across our cities.
Createch businesses on Grow London Global delegation to Singapore - Bonza Music, Brompton Technology, DAIVID, Emperia, Factory Fifteen, GEEIQ, Happening, HYPERVSN, InfluenConnect, MOONHUB, Mo-Sys, North AI, Recraft AI, Trint.
Fintech and Cybersecurity businesses on Grow London Global delegation to Japan - Aventur, Castlepoint Systems, Clearing, ClearToken, CLOWD9, Eunice, Kore Labs, Pilant, SaaScada, SAPI, Solidatus, Sumsub, Treefera, Yellowdog.
Opportunity London is the capital investment partnership for London, bringing together every tier of government in London and is backed by industry to provide a single front door for investors.