Japan, British Leaders Agree to Promote Cyberdefense Cooperation

Tokyo, Jan. 31 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her visiting British counterpart, Keir Starmer, agreed Saturday to strategically promote their countries’ cooperation in the field of cyberdefense. They also confirmed that Japan and Britain will hold a so-called two-plus-two meeting of their foreign and defense ministers within this year in order to enhance bilateral security collaboration. Takaichi and Starmer agreed to further deepen Japan-Britain relations. This is Starmer’s first visit to Japan since he took office in July 2024. The two leaders shared the view that cooperation among like-minded countries, including Japan and Britain, is urgently needed for strengthening supply chains for critical minerals. They also decided to establish a forum for discussions on cooperation in the space field. At the start of the bilateral summit, held at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo, Takaichi said that Japan and Britain have steadily and concretely advanced their cooperation. Starmer stressed that the partnership between the two nations is very profound and based on trust and common interests. Takaichi and Starmer exchanged views on how to face U.S. President Donald Trump with an aim to rebuild the international order at a time when the Trump administration is implementing policies based on his “America first” slogan and the rift between the United States and Europe is deepening as a result. The Japanese and British leaders also discussed how their countries should deal with China. At a meeting in Beijing on Thursday, Starmer and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to mend relations between their countries. Japan and Britain have been strengthening their security cooperation in recent years and are gradually becoming like quasi-allies. At Saturday’s meeting, Takaichi and Starmer affirmed that the Euro-Atlantic security and the security in the Indo-Pacific region are inseparable, apparently having in mind Russia, China and North Korea, which are deepening their relations. The two prime ministers agreed to continue promoting the three-way project to develop a new fighter model, which also includes Italy, and to further facilitate exchanges between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the British military. Starmer showed his plan to welcome Takaichi at Chequers, a retreat for Britain’s prime minister in the suburb of London. Takaichi expressed her intention to accept the invitation. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]