FinCity.tokyo

What is Transition Finance and how can the UK and Japan work together to make it work in meeting our netzero commitments?

The UK Government commissioned the independent Transition Finance Market Review (TFMR) in October 2024. The findings shed light on transition finance which supports the decarbonisation of organisations and finances the pathway for organisations to transform themselves to Net Zero. Japan was quick in spotting the suitability of transition finance as a way to transition its manufacturing centric economy and the government introduced guidelines or transition finance in 2021. It has since then been a leading issuer of transition bonds (including the world’s first sovereign transition bond). At this forum, leaders from government and industry of the two countries will discuss where we stand on transition finance and how they can work together to unleash its full potential to advance the world towards netzero.

Please join us for a stimulating discussion and for meeting new contacts to explore use cases/exchange ideas on  transition finance.

Date

Thursday 3 July 2025 (8:30 doors open/ 900-1300 plenary session with networking lunch/ 1330-1500 roundtable discussion with pre-invited guests)

Format: hybrid

The venue for in-person attendance will be One Moorgate Place, Chartered Accountants Hall, 1 Moorgate Pl, London EC2R 6EA

How to join

Please sign up via this Eventbrite page.

Organisers

FinCity.Tokyo with the kind support by the City of London, TheCityUK and Jiji Press

Agenda (subject to change)

8:30	Doors open
9:00	Fireside chat: Setting the scene	Lord Alok Sharma /Mr Hiroshi Nakaso
9:20	Transition Finance Market Review: How the UK plans to develop transition finance	Ms Vanessa Havard-Williams
9:55	Japan’s approach to Transition finance	Mr Yasuhiro Matsuda Mr Hideki Takada
10:30	Coffee break
10:45	Building a net zero pathway in a geopolitically challenged world	Mr Nick Mabey
11:00	Panel: Opportunities and challenges facing Transition Finance and UK-Japan collaboration	Mr Tomohiro Ishikawa, Mr David Semaya,  Mr David Harris, Dr Christine Chow Moderator: Ms Natsuho Torii
12:00	Networking lunch
13:30	Roundtable discussion	with pre-invited guests (observer seats available) Chaired by: Ms Irem Yerdelen
15:00	Close

Speakers

Mr Hiroshi Nakaso, Chairman, FinCity.Tokyo	Lord Alok Sharma, Chair, Transition Finance Council	Ms Vanessa Havard-Williams, Chair, Transition Finance Market Review	Mr Hideki Takada, Director, GX Acceleration Agency	Mr Tomohiro Ishikawa, Chief Regulatory Engagement Officer, MUFG
Mr Yasuhiro Matsuda, Minister for Financial Affairs, Embassy of Japan to the UK	Dr Christine Chow, CEO Tracker Group, Emeritus Governor, London School of Economics	Mr David Semaya, Executive Chairman, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management	Ms Irem Yerdelen, Councillor, City of London Corporation	Mr David Harris, Head of Sustainable Finance Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, LSEG
Ms Natsuho Torii, Head, Sustainability, Japan Exchange Group	Mr Nick Mabey, Founding Director and CEO, E3G