Mr Hiroaki Nakanishi honoured by the Queen
In recognition of his distinguished services to business relations between the UK and Japan, Tim Hitchens, the British Ambassador to Japan, has presented Mr Hiroaki Nakanishi, the Chairman and CEO of Hitachi Ltd with an Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, at an investiture ceremony held at the British Embassy Tokyo on 1 October 2015.
Under the leadership of Mr. Nakanishi, Hitachi Ltd has become a key investor in the UK’s rail and nuclear sectors. On 3rd September 2015, Hitachi opened an £82m rolling stock manufacturing facility in County Durham, close to where George Stephenson manufactured is revolutionary Rocket steam engine in 1929. Creating 730 jobs, this facility is part of Hitachi’s wider rail strategy for the United Kingdom, which saw their global rail headquarters relocated to London in 2014. Hitachi has demonstrated similar commitment to the United Kingdom’s nuclear sector, following their acquisition of Horizon Nuclear Power in 2012.
Under Mr. Nakanishi’s leadership, Hitachi are taking forward two new nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom; at Wylfa in Wales and Oldbury in Gloucestershire. Both sites will deliver stable, low carbon energy over many decades, and make significant contributions to the United Kingdom’s climate change commitments.
And across a wide range of other sectors, such as computing, healthcare and microscopy, Hitachi continue to use the United Kingdom as a platform for innovation and growth.