The mayor of a prominent Japanese city will visit the north-east this year as part of a bid to build bridges between the Granite City and the Land of the Rising Sun.
A delegation of businesses and officials, led by the mayor of Nagasaki, Tomihisa Taue, will travel to Aberdeen in August where they will discuss progress on the council’s “Japan strategy”.
Council officials have been in talks with various firms from the Asian country including Hitachi, Panasonic and Toyota during the past year to attract new business.
It is also hoped that the council can capitalise on the fame of Fraserburgh man Thomas Blake Glover who helped found Mitsubishi.
Finance vice-convener, Ross Thomson, said other Scottish councils were looking to copy the partnership strategy.
He said: “This is a comprehensive and high-level strategy written specifically for Aberdeen and which plays to the strengths of our city, and reflects our long-standing historical relationship with Japan.
“I believe that the opportunities in Japan for Aberdeen firms of all sizes are immense, and the council will strongly support those businesses who want to take advantage of what the strategy offers.”
