19/06/2013

Japanese Firm Announces Jobs Boost

A Japanese company has made a jobs announcement for Northern Ireland.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe mentioned the proposal on Tuesday evening.

The leader, who also attended the G8 summit in Co Fermanagh, had stayed behind following the event and paid a visit to Titanic Belfast.

He was joined by the First and Deputy First Ministers.

Through an interpreter, Mr Abe said he had been impressed with the courtesy he had received during his stay, and was in Belfast to give encouragement to Japanese companies based in NI.

He said: "My administration's top priority is Japan's economic revitalisation.

"Last week we announced Japan's revival strategy which laid out what I call comprehensive economic policies for economic revitalisation."

He added that NI was a treasure trove of "challenge, openness and innovation".

Mr Abe is the first Japanese Prime Minister to visit Belfast and he said hoped NI's Ministers would travel to his country in the future to discuss further investment.

First Minister Peter Robinson accepted the invitation to visit Japan, and said: "It is an enormous pleasure for me to welcome the prime minister of Japan to the great city of Belfast and this visitor centre.

"The prime minister of Japan has a special place in our hearts because he was the first of the G8 leaders to arrive and one of the last to leave so he is staying with us longer than other leaders have."

(JP/CD)

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