"Throughout our talks, I have been clear that this is not the time for the UK to step back from the world but rather to step up, and continue to stand tall alongside our friends and allies. During our discussions, I updated prime minister Abe on our preparations for Brexit and reiterated our determination to make sure the UK remains the best place in Europe to run and grow a business, whether it’s one operating at home or abroad," May was quoted as saying by The Guardian newspaper.
May stressed that the United Kingdom was the second most popular destination for Japanese investment after the United States.
"Japanese companies have already invested a total of more than £40bn [some $52 billion] in the UK. And around 1,000 Japanese companies including Honda, Hitachi and Mitsubishi employ 140,000 people in the UK," May said.
In late March, the United Kingdom officially began the withdrawal process by handing a formal letter to Tusk. According to Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, London now has two years to complete all relevant negotiations.
