UK reaps rewards from Japan mission.

Japan proved to be a land of opportunity for many of the UK delegates that travelled to Tokyo last month as part of the British music mission.

The trade mission, organised by the BPI and UK Trade & Investment, saw representatives from 24 UK music companies head out to the Japanese capital with the aim of establishing a foothold or strengthening their presence in the territory.

Among the many positive outcomes of the mission, Raygun Music director Julian Deane was able to push through a deal with EMI Japan for artist Paul Steele while also progressing Steele's publishing relationship with Warner/Chappell's publishing partner in Japan Nichion.

Deane also sparked interest in Tokyo for fellow Raygun signings The Xcerts and Stars & Sons, the latter having now received an offer from a leading Japanese publisher and a slot on a British music sampler distributed by Japanese label Vinyl-Junkie.

As well as offering an opportunity for the companies to present to the Japanese music industry's leading representatives, the mission saw executives such as Universal (Japan) International managing director Kimitaka Kato provide an insight into the intricacies of the country's music market.

"It would have taken me years to have made those kind of contacts on my own," admits Deane. "I did three days of stack meetings with presidents and vice presidents of various labels and it was great to forge those relationships."

Plan C Management artist Teitur also benefited from the company's director Christian Ulf-Hansen being on the mission, with a digital campaign deal having been set up in ...