Japan, Britain leaders to confirm ties on defense, economic security

The leaders of Japan and Britain are expected to agree on Saturday to cooperate in fields ranging from defense to economic security amid China's growing military clout in the region Report informs via Kyodo News.

At their meeting in Tokyo, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her British counterpart Keir Starmer are likely to affirm their commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific," a Japanese government official said.

Starmer's day trip to Japan comes after his four-day stay in China from Wednesday. During that trip, the British leader and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to seek a long-term and stable "strategic partnership" in their talks in Beijing.

Takaichi, who took office in October, and Starmer are set to hold a joint press event after their summit, according to the official.

The meeting comes as Tokyo and London have been deepening their defense ties in recent years in the face of China's rise and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, sharing the view that security in the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic is inseparable.

The two countries, both close US allies and Group of Seven members, have a trilateral project with Italy to jointly develop a next-generation fighter jet by 2035.

Japan and Britain, the world's fourth- and sixth-largest economies, respectively, have also been stepping up their economic cooperation, especially since the latter's departure from the European Union in 2020.

In 2024, Britain became the 12th member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a Japan-led free trade pact that came into force in 2018 after the US withdrawal the previous year during President Donald Trump's first four-year term through 2021.

Takaichi and Starmer last met in November in South Africa on the sidelines of the Group of 20 leaders' summit. For Starmer, it is his first trip to Japan since he became prime minister in July 2024.