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In this referendum, voters will weigh the impact of an exit from the EU on the economy living standards of British people.

The reaction of foreign investors will have a big effect on jobs.

I would like to explain how Brexit would affect us at Hitachi, and why we think it’s important for Britain to remain in Europe.

Hitachi is a global company based in Japan, and a serious long-term investor in the UK.

We have invested over a billion pounds creating new jobs in the UK’s rail and energy sectors.

Our projects include a rail manufacturing plant in the North East of England and planning to build new nuclear power plants on Anglesey, fully supporting the aims of reviving manufacturing, energy security and spreading employment around the UK.

(Image: PA)

Together Japanese investors provide 140,000 direct jobs in the UK, and many more in the supply chain.

A recent survey of these companies showed 95% of respondents thought Brexit would be negative for their businesses and for UK jobs; and none wanted to see the UK leave the EU.

For most global companies like Hitachi, the critical benefit of investing in the UK is that it is the best base for accessing the whole European market of 500m people.

Read more:Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis: How to vote in the EU referendum

There are other reasons like the size of the UK market, availability of local and international talent and the support of our local communities – which is why we take a positive view of the UK inside Europe.

Therefore we have our regional headquarters here and moved our global rail headquarters to London.

But take away the UK’s membership of the EU, and the future investment case looks very different.

(Image: Getty)

In the 80s Nissan and Toyota came to the UK on the basis that if they produced here and employed a British workforce they would be treated as European companies.

This was only possible because Britain was inside the EU; and so the UK car industry was revived and became an exporter again.

From Japan, this incredible success story looks like a huge gain from the UK’s membership of the EU.

We worry because those advocating Brexit have no answer to how the UK could negotiate cost-free access to this huge market from a position outside it.

It would take a long time and result in uncertain market conditions; during this renegotiation period, investors would probably be waiting to see the outcomes, hold back on investment, and jobs would be lost.

This is the cold economic reality of Brexit.

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This is not just a Japanese view. Many international investors in UK manufacturing and research, like Airbus, Siemens, GE and Microsoft have voiced the same concerns.

Right now, we’re recruiting a workforce of 730 to build the next generation of intercity trains to be introduced from next year.

They will be maintained by more staff whom we will employ and train. These are quality, well-paid jobs for local, British workers.

Training is the best way to expand job opportunities in a global world, and we’ve teamed up with Sunderland University to provide technical education near our factory for teenagers who will be qualified to work for us.

We aim to further expand our factory and jobs by winning more orders in the UK and continental Europe.

We’re on a very positive track, but there is a boulder on the line.

Brexit would force us and similar companies to rethink, because we still have a European vision, and would be disadvantaged in pursuing it from the UK.

We understand the EU is not perfect, but we hope the UK can continue from inside to change it for the better.

Strong national policy and membership of Europe can go together.

From our viewpoint, attracting foreign investment and high-value job creation depends on staying in and continuing to create a competitive internal market, and in this we hope the UK will be the leading force it has always been.