UK and Japan agree strengthened trade and security partnership ahead of G7 meeting

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab held talks today at Chevening House with Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Toshimitsu Motegi ahead of the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ meeting.

The two Foreign Ministers discussed the UK’s application to join the CPTPP trade grouping and the Foreign Secretary thanked Minister Motegi for Japan’s support.

Speaking after the meeting, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

I was delighted to host Toshimitsu Motegi in Chevening today for productive discussions about our strategic partnership. The depth of the UK-Japan relationship is based around a shared outlook on democracy, free trade, tackling climate change, and security collaboration.

In my talks with Foreign Minister Motegi we discussed Japanese support for the UK’s application to join CPTPP, tackling climate change and COVID-19 and the UK’s commitment for the Indo-Pacific which will be boosted further by the visit of the Carrier Strike Group later this year.

The UK and Japan also agreed the basis for deepening further trade and security cooperation. The UK’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy (published in March) outlines a new focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Both sides recognised the Integrated Review’s alignment with Japan’s flagship foreign policy strategy, the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision.

The Foreign Ministers also explored opportunities for increased collaboration in areas of shared interest and where the two countries can share expertise such as economic security, advanced technologies, health and science.