Alun Cairns holds nuclear plant talks with Hitachi in Japan

Alun Cairns told MPs this week that meeting Hitachi was a priority for him

The Welsh secretary will meet Hitachi bosses in Japan next week to discuss suspended plans for a new £13bn nuclear plant in Anglesey, the BBC understands.

The company has blamed rising costs and problems with a funding formula for halting the Wylfa Newydd project.

Alun Cairns will try to encourage Hitachi to work on a financial package that allows it to resume the scheme.

During the three-day trip he is expected to meet a number of Japanese firms with interests around Wales.

• What's Wylfa and why is it important?

• 'Tremendous blow' for Wales

About 9,000 workers had been expected to be involved in building the two nuclear reactors, which were due to be operational by the mid-2020s.

It was being developed by Hitachi's Horizon subsidiary.

Mr Cairns told MPs earlier this week he was "optimistic" the project could go ahead if a new funding model was agreed.