Japan and United Kingdom sign comprehensive defence cooperation agr

London: Japan and United Kingdom have agreed on a comprehensive defence cooperation agreement as a countermeasure to China’s increasingly assertive actions in Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. This is the first time Japan has signed a reciprocal access agreement with a European country. Previously Japan had signed similar defence cooperation agreements with the United States and Australia. Last year, the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth visited Japan as a part of a joint naval exercise. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, testified that the agreement with Japan was in line with Britain’s Indo-Pacific policy.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is currently on a visit to Britain. Meanwhile, he met with UK Prime Minister Johnson on Thursday to discuss various issues, including bilateral cooperation, trade, defence, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Following the talks, the two countries signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement. Under the agreement, Japanese and UK defence forces will be able to use each other’s military bases. The number and scope of bilateral defence exercises between the two countries will be increased. It will now be possible to deploy Japanese warships and fighter jets in United Kingdom and British warships and fighter jets in Japanese territory.

Against the aggressive actions of China in the Indo-Pacific region, the agreement between Japan and Britain is quite significant. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, welcomed the agreement and stated the importance of Europe and East Asia’s unity against countries that use dictatorship and force. Britain last year released an Integrated Review Report on defence which recommended Britain to pay more attention to the Asia-Pacific region. UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace visited Japan in the wake of the report.

Corona pandemic, the situation of law and order in Hong Kong and actions in the South China Sea have fueled international discontent against China. European countries, which had friendly relations with China while also their significant trading partners, have now started taking an aggressive stance against China. Leading European nations have signalled a change in their policy against China. Japan has taken advantage of this and is trying to expand its lead against China. Under this, Japan has succeeded in strengthening cooperation with Britain and France and Germany. The new defence agreement is considered part of that. Last month, Italy’s defence minister also visited Japan.

Meanwhile, the two countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of green energy and trade with the defence pact. The Japanese Prime Minister also appealed to the British companies and investors to invest in Japan. Japan and Britain also signed a free trade agreement in 2020.