Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department is taking steps to help support Japanese companies to open bank accounts in the UK.

The Department for Business and Trade has a global network, including a significant presence in Japan, to support investors around the world to establish their businesses in the UK. DBT uses its engagement with thousands of businesses and investors to build a well-rounded view of the top issues impacting business, and will continue to engage businesses on these commercial issues.

The Government knows that Japanese companies continue to take confidence in doing business with the UK. Japan is already the UK’s 5th largest investor and this past year alone during the Prime Minister’s visit, with Japanese businesses committed to invest almost £18 billion in businesses and projects across the UK.

More broadly, the provision of banking services is a commercial decision for firms based on a variety of factors, including the local law, regulation of individual countries, an assessment of profitability, or other commercial drivers. Nevertheless, the Government takes the issue of access to bank accounts very seriously, and that is why last year the Chancellor asked the FCA to collect evidence to help us understand where account closures or refusals are happening and why.