TOKYO – The defense chiefs of Japan and Britain agreed Thursday to step up bilateral cooperation in cyber and outer space, while promoting equipment and technology collaboration, including their trilateral fighter jet project with Italy.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his British counterpart John Healey also emphasized the “deep strategic alignment” of the two countries in a joint statement issued after their talks in Tokyo.
Nakatani and Healey underscored their shared recognition that the security and prosperity of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are “indivisible,” apparently reflecting concerns over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s growing military presence.
The meeting coincided with a port call in Tokyo on the same day by the British aircraft carrier Prince of Wales, whose strike group arrived in Japan on Aug. 12 in the first such visit by ships of the British navy to the Asian nation in about four years.
Nakatani said at a joint press conference with Healey following the talks that the port call demonstrated Britain’s commitment to making a proactive contribution to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Japan and Britain have been strengthening their defense ties in recent years, with a reciprocal access agreement simplifying procedures for joint exercises and disaster relief operations taking effect in 2023.
The two U.S. allies are also working with Italy on a joint project to develop a next-generation fighter jet by 2035.
Healey said industrial cooperation represented by the trilateral fighter program “makes us stronger together” militarily and economically. He added Japanese F-15 fighter jets will be deployed to Europe and Britain “soon,” without providing further details.