FILE PHOTO: Koji Tsuruoaka, Japan's ambassador to Britain, speaks outside 10 Downing Street after a meeting between Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and senior members of Japanese companies, in London, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

LONDON (Reuters) - More Japanese companies could relocate away from Britain in the coming months if the uncertainty around Brexit does not lift, the country’s ambassador to Britain has told Sky News.

Koji Tsuruoka said many of Japan’s 1,000 or so UK-based companies were now considering how to adapt to life after Brexit, but they needed to know how Britain will trade with the European Union in the future in order to make decisions.

“Most of these companies would like to expand their capacity. But they need to know about the UK-EU economic relationship,” he said.

“These are all global companies and therefore they have other possibilities other than staying.

“They may relocate. Or they may combine or consolidate. But you can’t make those decisions until you know what’s going to happen next. This is very important.”