Britain and Japan have signed a defence agreement to allow the two countries to deploy military forces in one another’s territories, making the UK the first European country to have a reciprocal access agreement with Japan.
Downing Street called the pact—signed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in London on Wednesday—the most important defence treaty between London and Tokyo since 1902.
The pact is part of the UK’s defence and foreign policy “tilt” towards the Indo-Pacific region, following an integrated review in 2021 that recognised the growing impact of China in the area.
Welcoming Kishida at the Tower of London, Sunak said: “The relationship between our two countries is stronger than ever, not just across trade and security but also our values.”…