Foreign minister Jeremy Hunt offers Brexit reassurance to Toyota

Foreign minister Jeremy Hunt has sought to reassure Japanese carmaker Toyota that the UK Government is focused on avoiding a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Hunt met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Toyota representatives during a visit to Japan that his office said would give him chance to explain the latest Brexit developments, including the Government's focus on tariff-free trade between Britain and the EU

"The UK has always been an outward-looking, global power. That cannot change after Brexit. I look forward to our relationship with Japan getting even closer in the years after we leave the EU," Hunt said in a statement before the meetings.

The statement said he would discuss Toyota's recently announced plans to build a new car with Suzuki in Britain and "reassure them that UK Government is focused on avoiding a no-deal Brexit and on agreeing a deal which that will ensure tariff-free frictionless trade between the EU and the UK".

Mr Hunt also met telecommunications firm NTT DoCoMo.

Toyota www.toyotauk.com