Businesses in Cumbria are being urged to team up if they want to score in the highly lucrative Japanese market.

The advice comes from export advisors who are keen for the county's firms to make the most of England's popularity in Japan during the World Cup.

They say small businesses operating in the same sector, such as giftware or food and drink, could share costs such as market research, transport and translation work by pooling their resources.

And by joining together in groups, they could also be in line for European grants to help them dip their toes in the Japanese market.

Some 50 businesses from across the county attended a special seminar on Japan - Land of Business Opportunities, held at the Rheged centre this week.

The event, organised by Business Link for Cumbria and Trade Partners UK, gave businesses an insight into the size, demands and potential of the Japanese market for would-be exporters.

It highlighted the success of a public and private sector partnership which has succeeded in attracting more Japanese visitors to Cumbria over recent years.

The Cumbria Japan Forum has spearheaded a series of initiatives, from trade missions to Japanese language courses, to drum up business for the county's tourism industry.

Forum chairman Richard Foster, who is general manager of the World of Beatrix Potter attraction at Bowness, said the group's efforts had lifted the Lake District to being the second most requested destination at the British Tourism Authority's offices in Japan in 2000.

While visitor numbers dropped by 25 per cent last year as a result of foot-and-mouth, the forum had taken steps to make up lost ground with a number of initiatives, including a Cumbrian mini trade mission to Japan last October, said Mr Foster.

That mission, along with events such as the 100th birthday of Peter Rabbit, the 200th anniversary of Wordsworth's celebrated poem Daffodils, and the Queen's Golden Jubilee had helped to reverse the trend.

"Twenty five per cent more Japanese business came to us this year than predicted, the recovery is quicker than we expected.

We hope by 2003 we may be back to 2000 levels," he added.

The seminar also heard from Rob Ives of Maryport-based Flying Pig, maker of animated cardboard models which have gone down a storm in Japan, ironically the home of origami.

He said he had been fortunate to break into the Japanese market because a distributor approached him after viewing products on his web site.

Mr Ives said speed and accuracy were very important when dealing with Japanese customers, who tended to ask "an awful lot of questions", but the effort was well worthwhile.

Business Link for Cumbria has a five-strong export team to help firms seeking overseas markets, including Japan.

For more details, ring Business Link on 01228-410310.