The UK and Japan have signed an industrial pact to strengthen cooperation in offshore wind, with the agreement set to help facilitate up to £9 billion in Japanese investment in the British sector and support the development of 5.9 GW of floating offshore wind projects.

UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks and Japan’s State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Takagi Kei, signed the compact on 10 November 2026. The framework builds on the two countries’ existing cooperation and aims to accelerate the commercial deployment of fixed-bottom, floating and deepwater offshore wind, while strengthening supply chains and improving energy security.

The 5.9 GW project pipeline includes Ossian and Green Volt in the North Sea, off Scotland’s east coast, and Erebus in the Celtic Sea. The UK government announced in June that the compact would help facilitate up to £9 billion in Japanese investment in the country’s offshore wind sector, supporting projects in which Japanese companies have stakes. Once built, the three developments are expected to generate enough electricity to power around eight million homes.

The agreement establishes four main areas of cooperation: joint investment in offshore wind projects in both countries; testing and demonstration of floating and deepwater technologies; the development of competitive and resilient supply chains, particularly for turbines; and the sharing of British expertise in regulation, market frameworks and grid integration to support Japan’s offshore wind market.

The two governments will also work towards a shared technical roadmap and a pathway to reduce costs, with a particular focus on moving floating and deepwater wind technologies from demonstration to commercial deployment. The framework highlights the UK’s experience in offshore wind policy and project delivery alongside Japan’s industrial and manufacturing capabilities.

Great British Energy and the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will lead implementation on the British side, while Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will oversee the Japanese contribution. The agreement also provides for annual discussions between the two governments and leaves open the possibility of bringing other partners into the initiative.