Member Article

Business Links forged with Japan

A local businessman is set to drive North East business with Japan forward as he highlights NewcastleGateshead’s tourism benefits and homegrown products abroad. Peter Candler, managing director of Jesmond Dene House Hotel and Restaurant in Newcastle flew to Japan recently to promote North East England as a tourism destination for Japanese visitors and businesses. Armed with a bottle of Oleifera – the region’s premium rape seed oil – to impress his Japanese counterparts, the trip gave Peter an insight in how to extend tourism links into the Japanese market.

Peter highlighted the region’s key heritage sites such as Hadrian’s Wall, Durham Cathedral, Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle and Warkworth Castle, as well as the beautiful coastlines and stunning landscapes the North-East has to offer alongside its award winning restaurants. Connections between the North East and Japan date back to the 19th century with trade links between Lord Armstrong’s armaments business on Tyneside.

Peter said: “I’m keen to reopen these historical links with the East. We had the honour of Admiral Togo, the Japanese naval hero, staying here in 1911 where he expressed his thanks to the city of Newcastle for its role in building and arming the Japanese navy and for training personnel.”

As well as Admiral Togo, Chinese ministers and Japanese princes have all stayed or dined at Jesmond Dene House Hotel and Restaurant. Modern-day links between Japan and North East England began in the late 1970s with inward investment of large manufacturing companies such as NSK, Nissan and Komatsu who were attracted by the manufacturing and engineering experience, willing workforce, attractive prices and good infrastructure.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .