Rishi Sunak, the British prime minister, and his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, will sign a defense agreement on Wednesday, allowing Britain and Japan to deploy troops in other countries.
The move comes as the British government seeks to strengthen its involvement in the Asia-Pacific region to counter China’s influence, even as the war in Ukraine has forced London to reassess its global strategy.
Talks in London will also see the two leaders discuss Britain’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade bloc that includes Japan, Canada, Mexico and Chile, despite reservations from some Conservative MPs.
Britain hopes to become a member of the bloc this year, but George Eustice, Britain’s former environment secretary, has warned against a rush to join, saying Britain could be vulnerable to legal challenges that could damage the agricultural sector and environmental rules.
Eustice, who supports Brexit, last year criticized Britain’s trade deal with Australia as “not really a good deal for Britain”. He fears that CPTPP members could see Canada, for example, challenge Britain’s ban on hormone-treated beef.
Sunak and Kishida will focus on the “reciprocal access” defense deal, which will be signed at the Tower of London on Wednesday. Downing Street said that under the pact, the two countries would offer “more complex military training and deployments”.
Sunak said before the meeting that the two countries are “accelerating, building and expanding” relations, adding that they have a “shared view” of the world and are aware of global threats.
Last month, Britain, Japan and Italy launched the Global Combat Air Program created with the goal of developing “next-generation fighter aircraft” by 2035.
The British government said the program would build on existing defense ties and accelerate the “advanced military capabilities” of all three countries.
“This reciprocal access agreement is very important for our countries – it strengthens our commitment to the Indo-Pacific and underscores our joint efforts to improve economic security, accelerate defense cooperation and drive innovation that creates skilled jobs,” said Sunak. .
“In this increasingly competitive world, it is more important than ever that democratic societies continue to interact as we navigate the unprecedented global challenges of our time.”
Downing Street said Sunak and Kishida will also discuss Japan’s presidency of the G7 and how to increase support for Ukraine.