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The Japan Times
WORLD EYE REPORTS
THE UNITED KINGDOM |
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©THE JAPAN TIMES
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Saturday, August 30, 2003
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The world's partner of choice
In the past 20 years, the United Kingdom has reinvented itself as the ideal place to do business in Europe and British companies have been actively building bridges with Asia and North America. Despite threats, all the actors of British economic life are keener than ever to maintain this status as the world’s partner of choice.
The British economy has changed fundamentally since the dark, depressed days of the 1970s. Although much criticized both domestically and internationally, economic policy over the past 20 years has steered the country into better shape, finally bringing inflation and unemployment figures under control while maintaining solid growth.
Throughout most of the 1990s, for instance, GDP growth in the UK was consistently higher than in the rest of Europe. In 2002, despite a global economic slowdown, the British economy reported growth of 1.8 percent, twice the level recorded in the Euro zone.
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eBox
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A wealth of new ideas and off-the-beaten-track destinations in the British Isles is available here. Do not attempt to visit the United Kingdom without first visiting this website! www.visitbritain.com
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The UK’s Department of Trade and Industry is particularly active with businesses from around the world. www.dti.gov.uk |
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The Confederation of British Industry is the country's most influential business interest organisation and is particularly active in creating the best circumstances for growth and development for business. The confederation's website offers information, services and current news for the businessman concerned with British issues. www.cbi.org.uk |
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Part of the wide infrastructure of the DTI, Tradepartners UK and Invest UK are directly in charge with the promotion of trade and investment. www.tradepartners.gov.uk and www.invest.uk.com |
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 Britain's Lord Nelson atop his column looks out over the world's premier business services hub.
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To a large extent, this has been achieved by creating the right conditions for British and international companies to thrive. Successive governments have introduced a favorable business tax regime, including an effective research and development tax credit, coupled with one of the region’s simplest and most transparent regulatory and bureaucratic environment. The labor force has also been consistently remodelled to become Western Europe’s most flexible. FULL STORY
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Leaving a mark on London
London’s leading residential developer is dotting the banks of the Thames with a new style of property.
Until late into the 20th century, the ravages of wartime bombing and industrial decline had left many parts of London derelict and poorly constructed. Unattractive housing and abandoned factories close to the very heart of the nation’s capital were not only a blot on the landscape, but also a significant waste of valuable space in one of the world’s most expensive property markets.
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 St. George managing director Stephen Embrey and executive director George Fry |
In the past 20 years, however, many of these areas have been the focus of ambitious redevelopment and rebirth. Instrumental in this process has been St. George, which pioneered such original projects long before they were backed by government policy.
The company was set up on a simple and innovative concept, which is still the guiding vision today. The idea was to specialise in mixed residential / commercial projects in only the very best locations along the banks of the Thames. As obvious as this may sound, this was a radical departure from common property developments at the time. Much of London’s prime riverside land had been abandoned or neglected. Mixed-use developments were unpopular with planners as they inevitably presented complex problems in bringing together commercial and residential constraints. Starting with small-scale projects, St. George gradually built up a strong expertise in this field, which is unrivalled even today. This has proved to be visionary and such mixed developments are now actively encouraged by government and municipal authorities. FULL STORY
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United Kingdom
Official Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Area: 243 610 sq. km
Population : 58.8 million (2001)
Currency: Pound Sterling (GBP)
Average exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.62 GBP (August 2003)
Total GDP: $344 billion (2002)
GDP growth rate: 1.6% (2002)
GDP per capita: $24,700 (2002)
Inflation rate: 2.9% (RPI year to January 2003)
Unemployment rate: 5.1% (January 2003)
Total exports: $298 billion (2002)
Total imports: $359 billion (2002)
Top five imports: (% of total) Road vehicles (13%), Office machines (6.7%), Electrical machinery (6.2%),
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Telecommunications equipment (4.7%), Clothes (4.5%).
Top five exports: (% of total) Road vehicles (8.8%), Electrical machinery (7.5%), Petroleum and related products (7.1%), Telecommunications equipment (6.8%), Office machines (6.1%).
Main export markets: USA (15.2%), Germany (11.5%), France (9.8%), Republic of Ireland (8.3%), Netherlands (7.3%).
Main import markets: Germany (13.5%), USA (11.6%), France (8.2%), Netherlands(6.7%), Belgium (5.1%).
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Sources: Office of National Statistics, Department of Trade and Industry.
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