Britain's private and public sectors have been "revolutionized" thanks to practices picked up from Japan's car manufacturers, but now there is a "new wave" of Japanese investment in green industries, experts say.
While British industry has embraced Toyota and Nissan's "lean" production techniques, the country is now hoping to become a leader in green technology with help from the Japanese.
Observers note the last few years have seen a big increase in Japanese investment into eco-friendly industries. It follows the first wave of investments into the automobile and electronics sectors back in the 1980s and early 1990s.