MORE than 50 delegates from Manchester and the North-west have signed up for the Osaka Manchester Forum in Japan in October.

The delegation includes Sir Hugh Cortazzi, former British Ambassador to Japan, Neville Chamberlain of the North West Business Leadership Team, Geoff Muirhead, chief executive of Manchester Airport/President of Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Lord Thomas of Macclesfield.

The visit takes place against the backdrop of the year-long UK Festival in Japan.

Sir David Trippier, chairman of Marketing Manchester and the Osaka Manchester Forum 98, said the trip - which followed a Japanese visit to Manchester last year - was very much about building and consolidating relationships.

"It is the nature of doing business with Japan that one focuses on the long term," he said. "The Osaka Chamber of Commerce, which is one of the strongest and most active chambers in Japan, is particularly interested in direct business negotiation with leading edge small and medium-sized enterprises." There will also be a high profile North-west England pavilion at G-BOC, Kansai's largest annual international trade convention.

It attracts 30,000 delegates from all round the world.

More information is available from Julia Richardson at MIDAS on 0161-877-3000.

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