Greater Manchester signs historic Sister City Agreement with Osaka as Japan Week gets underway

• Mayors of Greater Manchester and Osaka sign Sister City Agreement to strengthen ties on trade, innovation, education, tourism and culture  

• Partnership builds on historic links between the two places, with Osaka emerging as the “Manchester of the East”, and more recent civic engagement 

• Signing coincides with Japan Week, which is taking place in Manchester from 4 to 9 September  

Greater Manchester has signed a formal Sister City Agreement with Osaka aimed at promoting further collaboration and cooperation between our two places. 

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Mayor of Osaka Hideyuki Yokoyama signed the Agreement today at a special ceremony at Manchester Metropolitan University attended by a range of civic and business leaders, including the Japanese Ambassador to the UK, Hiroshi Suzuki.  

Sister City arrangements are highly regarded in Japan and the agreement with Greater Manchester is the first new partnership signed by Osaka in 20 years.   

The agreement builds on our city region’s historic links with Osaka, Japan’s third largest city, and is the culmination of civic engagement on recent Greater Manchester trade missions to Japan. It aims to open up further opportunities for trade and investment, and foster closer ties on innovation, education, tourism, culture and sport.  

The signing comes at the start of Japan Week, the annual cultural festival being held in Manchester from 4 to 9 September. The event is held in a different international city each year, and this year marks its 50th anniversary.  

Developing stronger links with other global cities is part of Greater Manchester’s wider vision for the next decade – to create a thriving city region where everyone can live a good life.  

Through our trade missions and continued civic, business and cultural engagement, we are promoting Greater Manchester as a city region with a global reach, helping local companies find success in new markets, and attracting new industries.  

Over the past 12 months Japanese companies have invested £117 million in Greater Manchester, creating more than 200 new jobs.  

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said:

“The signing of Greater Manchester’s Sister City Agreement with Osaka today is another significant moment in our proud history of cooperation. Our relationship goes back to the industrial revolution, when a group of Japanese students came to Greater Manchester to learn about the machinery and technology being used in our factories. They returned to Japan with knowledge and ideas that helped Japan industrialise, with Osaka emerging as the ‘Manchester of the East’. I’m excited to be writing the next chapter in that history. Our collaboration will support investment, job creation and innovation, putting both places at the forefront of the next industrial revolution.” 

Mayor of the City of Osaka Hideyuki Yokoyama said:

“We are delighted that Osaka City has concluded a sister city agreement with Greater Manchester for the first time in 36 years. Osaka was once known as the ‘Manchester of the East’ for its flourishing textile industry, much like Manchester itself. Now, more than a century later, we are deeply honoured to renew this connection with a Sister City Agreement. This Sister City Agreement would not have been possible without the support of so many people. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your invaluable contributions. Greater Manchester is distinguished by its strengths in the creative industries, support for start-ups, and advanced manufacturing in collaboration with leading research institutions. The city is also internationally renowned for its music and sport.” 

Hiroshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan to the UK, said:

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude, and deep respect, to both Mayor Yokoyama and Mayor Burnham for their unwavering commitment and remarkable leadership that have made Sister City Agreement possible. The Sister City Agreement between Osaka and Manchester is not just a historical milestone, but also a highly impactful step toward promoting regional revitalisation. The Agreement unites Osaka and Manchester – each half of the twin engines of industrial power in Japan and the UK – to advance resilient, sustainable local economies and communities. This in turn, drives prosperity on the national stage.” 

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Lead for Economy, Business, and Inclusive Growth, said: 

“Our relationship with Japan goes back nearly 200 years and has always been focused on collaboration, innovation and growth. More recently, our trade missions have helped us strengthen our relationship with Osaka. We have seen this engagement translate into new jobs and opportunities that have benefitted people and companies across Greater Manchester. Manchester is a proudly international city and it is our privilege to be hosting Japan Week 2025. We’re excited to celebrate and showcase Japanese culture right here in Manchester.”  

A delegation from Osaka is in Greater Manchester this week for a three-day trade mission coinciding with Japan Week.  

Taking place in a different world city each year, Japan Week is a prestigious annual festival showcasing traditional and contemporary Japanese culture through arts, music, fashion and sports, involving a range of activities taking place at venues across the city.   

This includes the first UK performances of BLOOM – a production that blends music, fashion and dance to celebrate the unique history and friendship between Greater Manchester and Osaka.  

Greater Manchester’s links with Osaka go back to the 19th century, when a group of Japanese students visited Manchester and Oldham to learn about the manufacturing technologies that were transforming Britain.  

They returned to Japan with machinery and technology that helped spark the country’s own Industrial Revolution. Osaka’s emergence as a centre for textile manufacturing led to it becoming known as the Manchester of the East.  

Inspired by a visit to the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, one of the students, Godai Tomoatsu, would go on to establish the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  

This relationship has endured to the present day, with the establishment of the Greater Manchester-Japan Steering Group in 2021, and was strengthened even further in 2023, with Greater Manchester’s first ever trade mission to Japan. While there Greater Manchester leaders signed a partnership with Osaka that brought closer collaboration on net zero, trade and investment, and innovation.   

Since then, Osaka-based companies Daikin and Panasonic have been working with Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to deploy innovative low carbon technologies to accelerate our net zero transition.  

A second trade mission to Japan followed earlier this year, coinciding with EXPO 2025 – the biggest international event of the decade, taking place in Osaka between April and October.  

NOTES TO EDITORS

The signing takes place at 1700 on Friday 5 Sept. Photos can be made available after the ceremony.

Article Published: 05/09/2025 15:28 PM