Foreign investments have been a major part of the British economic revival over the past few decades, bringing new capital, ideas and talent to the nation, British journalists told the May 23 symposium.
If Japan wants to attract foreign investments, it needs to put up a clear "for sale" sign, and the recent rejection by Tokyo of a bid by a British fund to increase its stake in the Electric Power Development Co. may have sent the wrong message to overseas investors, they said.
Foreign capital buying up your major companies or key infrastructure operators can be a sensitive question involving national pride and security concerns. But it has become generally accepted in Britain that benefits outweigh possible problems, the journalists told the audience.