Cheers as Japanese ambassador downs pint of bitter during city visit

The mayor of Osaka, Hideyuki Yokoyama, signed the sister city agreement in a ceremony at Manchester Metropolitan University on Friday.

Burnham said the partnership was “another significant moment” in the relationship between the region and the Japanese city.

He said those connections stretch back to the industrial revolution when 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’,” Burnham said.

The agreement is aimed at supporting investment, job creation and innovation between Greater Manchester and Osaka.

Mr Suzuki said the “fantastic partnership will drive forward growth and prosperity into the future”.