Britain and Japan to sign major defence pact as UK expands focus on Indo-Pacific

Reciprocal access agreement would make it easier for the two nations to engage in military exercises, deploy troops
Britain seeking to build its influence in Indo-Pacific region as a check on China’s ambitions

Britain

Chad Brayin London

Published: 8:01am, 11 Jan 2023

Why you can trust SCMP

Britain and Japan are expected to sign a major defence pact on Wednesday that will make it easier for the two nations to engage in joint military exercises and deploy troops to each other’s countries.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida are expected to sign a so-called reciprocal access agreement at a ceremony at the Tower of London on Wednesday, following an agreement in principle reached between the countries in May. The pact will go before Japan’s Diet and Britain’s Parliament in the coming weeks.

“In this increasingly competitive world, it is more important than ever that democratic societies continue to stand shoulder to shoulder as we navigate the unprecedented global challenges of our time,” Sunak said in comments ahead of the ceremony.

Britain is the first European country to reach such an agreement with Japan, and British officials have described it as the most important defence pact between the two nations since 1902.

01:59

Japan conducts parachute training with British and Australian armies for first time

Japan has a security treaty with the United States that allows American troops to be stationed there, as well as a similar reciprocal access agreement reached with Australia in January 2021.

The agreement is the latest in a series of cooperative security efforts between the two countries.

Last year, Britain agreed to develop the next generation of jet fighters with Japan and Italy. In December, the two countries unveiled a digital partnership to strengthen their cooperation in areas including cyber resilience, online safety and semiconductors.

The pact with Japan also comes as Britain seeks to deepen its ties in the Indo-Pacific region, in part as a check on China.

Britain eyes deeper relationships with Asia, world: Foreign Secretary

In November, Sunak said that Britain must evolve its foreign policy approach to China and recognise it poses a “systemic challenge to our values and interests, a challenge that grows more acute as it moves towards even greater authoritarianism”.

In December, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that Britain needs to establish deeper relationships with traditionally non-aligned countries in Asia and other parts of the world and take a longer-term view of diplomacy as it engages in a “multi-decade competition” to protect the values that have led to peace and prosperity globally.

Britain is seeking to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and is pursuing new free-trade agreements with India and Indonesia.

Diplomatic experts also have said that Japan could be a candidate eventually to join the trilateral Aukus alliance of Australia, Britain and the US.

During his visit, Kishida and Sunak also are expected to discuss trade, Japan’s current presidency of the Group of Seven and the need to continue to provide support to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion last year.

In addition to Britain, Kishida is visiting leaders in France, Italy, Canada and the US as part of a weeklong series of meetings with other G7 members.