Mr Nicholas Yang, Secretary for Innovation and Technology, accompanied Mrs Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive on parts of her visit to Japan from October 29 to November 2. Mrs Lam visited a number of innovation and technology (I&T) institutions and facilities, aiming to boost links between Hong Kong and Japan on innovation and technology front.

To learn more about Japan's successful experience in promoting I&T, Mrs Lam and Mr Yang visited Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City in Chiba Prefecture and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Ibaraki Prefecture as well as the University of Tsukuba, and met with Dr Tatsuo Igarashi, the Mayor of Tsukuba City on October 30.

On the following day, Mr Yang joined Mrs Lam to attend a breakfast meeting with Mr Michinari Hamaguchi, President of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), and its key members. Mrs Lam said that the government is determined to develop Hong Kong as an international I&T hub and has been advancing I&T development using an eight-pronged approach. She encouraged technology enterprises, research and development (R&D) institutions and academics from Japan to collaborate with their Hong Kong counterparts in research, to make good use of the R&D grants and tax deductions for expenditure on R&D recently rolled out by Hong Kong government.

Mr Yang also called on Mr Takaki Shirasuka, the Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, and exchanged ideas on the promotion of science as well as innovation and technology. Mr Yang said that Hong Kong is vigorously building up two technology clusters on healthcare technologies, artificial intelligence and robotics technologies. He looked forward to more collaboration between the two places and learning from Japan’s good practices and experience, in particular in healthy ageing and smart city development.

Before concluding his visit, Mr Yang attended "Think Global, Think Hong Kong" Main Symposium organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in Tokyo and accompanied Mrs Lam who witnessed the signing of Memoranda of Understanding on trade and financial technology by the HKTDC, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited (HKCMCL) with their Japanese counterparts.