HIS face has already appeared on key-rings, biscuits, cakes and lollipops, but Japan’s maverick Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, will today go one further in his bid for exposure by making his debut in British television commercials

The shock-haired reformist is fronting a bizarre campaign aimed at urging British viewers to invest in Japan. The apparently desperate attempt to whet corporate appetites is part of a much wider political drive by Mr Koizumi to double the level of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Japan over the next three years.

The commercials will feature various stirring images of corporate Japan followed by an impassioned Mr Koizumi addressing the camera and encouraging companies to take the plunge. Speaking in English, the Prime Minister says: “We have all you need for success, and we welcome your business. Why don’t you join us? Invest in Japan!”

The minute-long adverts, which include a guest appearance by Nissan’s president, Carlos Ghosn, will be aired from today on cable and satellite services in the UK, US and continental Europe. The Japanese Government has spent about £10 million buying 60 slots on the BBC World, CNN and CNBC channels.

Mr Koizumi, who spent time in Britain as a student, apparently needed little preparation for his starring role. He once notoriously released an album of Elvis Presley cover versions, where his English accent was among its least awful features.

The adverts, which include lingering shots of young Japanese shoppers browsing shelves full of foreign foods, cosmetics and other goods, are intended to show that while Japan’s overall economy may only be slowly emerging from its decade-long slump, Japanese consumers are ready to spend. As well as reminding viewers that Japan is the world’s second-largest economy, it emphasises the fact that Japanese individuals hold more than $14 trillion (£7.6 trillion) in assets.

In 2001 the Prime Minister set a goal of doubling FDI from 6.6 trillion yen by the end of 2006, but the project has remained sluggish because of perceived barriers to investing.