Decision

25 November 2025: UK-Japan CEPA Working Group on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment – joint minutes

Updated 23 December 2025

Online, London and Tokyo, 25 November 2025.

The third meeting of the Working Group on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment (“the WG”) under the Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK) and Japan for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership (“the Agreement”) took place online on 25 November 2025.

UK participants represented the:

• Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
• British Embassy in Tokyo

Japanese participants represented the:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)
• Cabinet Office
• Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
• Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)
• Japanese Embassy in the UK

Participants held a fruitful exchange of views on matters related to Chapter 21 of the Agreement (Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment).

The meeting agenda was adopted.

The UK summarised the implementation activities jointly delivered since the previous WG meeting in 2023. These included 2 online Women’s Economic Empowerment seminars aimed at Japanese and British women business owners, leaders, entrepreneurs and investors interested in our respective markets. They also included one in-person Women’s Economic Empowerment event at the UK Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Both sides then shared information on support programmes and initiatives for women in non-urban and regional areas to increase their participation in domestic and global economies, including supporting their access to trade. The UK shared information on the support provided by DBT’s International Trade Advisers. It also shared information on the Women’s International Network Programme. This included regional events aimed at empowering women in global trade. The UK also highlighted the UK Export Finance Female Founder Export Accelerator initiative and the Invest in Women Code.

Japan followed with presentations on its Cabinet Office’s initiatives to develop female entrepreneurs at a regional level through local municipalities, GIRAFFES JAPAN, METI’s programme to support female entrepreneurs’ networking, and on MAFF’s programmes and initiatives to empower women in the agricultural sector.

In addition, the UK also shared information on the UK Employment Rights Bill and on how some of the measures in the Bill aim to improve employment rights and protections for women in the workforce.

Both sides underlined the importance of, and their willingness to, further cooperate on the effective implementation of Chapter 21 of the Agreement to advance women’s economic empowerment. Both sides confirmed that they would continue to discuss and develop further implementation activities for the coming months. This would be achieved through regular engagements.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Japan will be the host of the next WG. The date of the future WG will be arranged via contact points.

Annex

The Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Japan for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership. The First meeting of the Working Group on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment (21 October 2021, videoconference between London and Tokyo).

The Second meeting of the Working Group on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment (16 January 2023, online: Tokyo and London).

Agenda

1. Welcome, introductions and adoption of the agenda
2. Summary of cooperative implementation activities delivered since the previous UK/Japan CEPA Working Group in Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment (2023)
3. Sharing of information on support programmes and initiatives for women in non-urban and regional areas
4. Sharing information on the UK Employment Rights Bill and how it will benefit women
5. Considerations for future UK and Japan CEPA Women’s Economic Empowerment implementation activities
6. Any other business and conclusion