Julia Longbottom CMG | His Majesty’s Ambassador to Japan

Julia Longbottom was appointed British Ambassador to Japan in March 2021. She has spent over half her career as a diplomat working on North-East Asian affairs. This includes two previous postings to the British Embassy in Tokyo, first as Second Secretary Political in 1990 to 1993, then Minister and Deputy Head of Mission in 2012 to 2016. In the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London, she led on Hong Kong Nationality and Immigration issues in 1994 to 1997, and headed the Far Eastern, then China, Department in 2009 to 2012. She is a Japanese speaker, and the first woman to hold the post of British Ambassador to Japan. Prior to this, she was the FCO’s Director for Consular Services globally (2016 to 2020), and set up and ran the Coronavirus Task Force for 6 months in 2020.

She has held a range of other roles including Director of Strategy and Human Resources in UK Trade & Investment (2006 to 2009), Consul General in Warsaw (2003-2006), and Head of Political/EU affairs in the British Embassy in The Hague (1998-2002). She graduated from Cambridge University (Jesus College) in 1986 with a degree in French and German. Married to Richard Sciver, with three adult children (two daughters, one son). Her hobbies include tennis, golf and skiing and other outdoor activities.

Christopher Hunt | Director of Trade and Investment | British Embassy Tokyo

Christopher Hunt is the Director of Trade and Investment for Japan (based at the British Embassy in Tokyo) and Deputy HM Trade Commissioner, responsible for North-East Asia.

He leads a team across the Japan, South Korea and Taiwan markets. Christopher is focused on improving the trade and investment environment wherever possible, helping UK companies to access North-East Asian markets, and helping Japanese, South Korean and Taiwanese companies invest in the UK.

Christopher spent much of his career in private practice law, helping companies invest overseas, and advising and resolving disputes for commercial and government clients across the world. He was a partner at a global law firm, based in Japan, where he has lived for 15 years. He joined government in 2021, where he first led a team responsible for negotiating free trade agreements and representing the UK at the World Trade Organization.

Stephen Norris | Partner | Control Risks

Stephen Norris is a Partner based in Tokyo and covers South-East Asia analyses for Control Risks’ subscription services. He also provides regular media commentary on political, economic and security issues in South-East Asia. Prior to joining Control Risks, Stephen was based in Taiwan as a political and business reporter for The China Post and as a freelance writer for the Taipei Times (national daily newspapers). Stephen also previously worked for Jane’s Information Group, a consultancy focused on defence, terrorism and intelligence issues.

Stephen holds an undergraduate degree in sociology with politics from the University of Leicester and a master’s of science in Chinese business and politics from Sheffield University. He speaks conversational Mandarin.

Dominic Sharman | Partner | Baker McKenzie

Dominic Sharman is a partner at Baker McKenzie’s Tokyo office and is the deputy chairman of UK Japan Connect – Baker McKenzie’s legal and business forum connecting people, culture and business in Japan and the UK.

Having trained and qualified as a solicitor advocate in the UK, Dominic moved to Japan to practice law in 2014.  Dominic’s practice covers a broad range of advisory and contentious work with both Japan-related and international aspects, including international arbitration under the rules of various arbitral institutions, cross border litigation in both the courts of England & Wales and Japan, risk management and compliance-related matters.

Dominic speaks Japanese.  He regularly assists companies both inbound to Japan and outbound from Japan.