London UK, 11 September 2020 – NTT DATA and NTT Ltd. together welcome the signing of a new Free Trade Agreement between the governments of the United Kingdom and Japan. The new agreement ensures a promising future of reciprocal, close economic ties following the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union. This includes key provisions for the services sector, with an ambitious new framework for digital trade to drive innovation in both countries.
NTT Ltd. and NTT DATA represent a sizeable investment in UK operations by a Japanese headquartered business. Together they are ready to seize the opportunity presented by this agreement to build a successful future for UK technology and building on our strong Japanese heritage.
The advanced data mobility provisions set out in the agreement look set to ensure the continued free flow of ideas and innovation between Japan and the UK in the post-Brexit period, enabling a close working partnership with Japan and best leveraging NTT’s Japanese R&D.
Simon Williams, CEO of NTT DATA in the UK, said: “The signing of the Brexit withdrawal agreement in January was a positive first step in removing Brexit-sourced uncertainty for business. However, it is even more important to secure a progressive reciprocal free trade agreement as these give a solid foundation on which to grow a business. As a Japanese-headquartered company, this is an important free trade agreement for us and its focus on the service sector and digital economy is particularly welcome.
“We’re delighted that this agreement not only replicates the existing EU-Japanese digital trade rules but goes a step further to enhance them. This gives UK businesses complete trust in dealing with Japanese businesses by including some of the most advanced data protection and sovereignty rules in the world. This demonstrates the high priority given to the digital economy by both countries - a blueprint for the digital era that others will surely replicate”
Paolo Masselli, CEO of NTT Ltd. in the UK, said: “At NTT Ltd. we view the UK as a strategic location and key to our global success. We are proud of the breadth of technology services that we can deliver to our multi-national and global UK headquartered clients to help them digitally transform.
“NTT Ltd. is investing over £500m in new UK data centres as a critical enabler of global businesses. This includes the opening of its London 1 Data Center, in Dagenham, east London in Autumn 2020, which is being built to the very latest standards and powered with 100% renewable energy sources.”
For NTT, the free trade agreement means we are able to make the best use of NTT’s considerable R&D efforts in Japan. Leveraging our combined R&D will not only accelerate the development of cutting-edge technologies in areas such as artificial intelligence and health technology, it will also secure the position of both nations as global technology leaders.
Read more about the free trade agreement here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-japan-agree-historic-free-trade-agreement