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LONDON, Jan. 11 (AP) — The leaders of Britain and Japan will sign a defense deal Wednesday that could see troops deployed to each other’s countries.
The two countries are strengthening military ties amid growing concerns about China’s growing military assertiveness and designs on Taiwan, which it considers a rebellious province.
The British government said the defense deal “underpins our commitment to the Indo-Pacific region”. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and British leader Rishi Sunak will sign the agreement during the symbolic Tower of London meeting at Fortress.
The deal has been in the works for years and Kishida discussed it when he visited Sunak’s predecessor, Boris Johnson, in London in May.
The reciprocal access agreement – Japan’s first with a European country – allows the two countries to hold joint military exercises.
The British government said it would allow the armed forces of the two G7 countries to “plan and conduct larger and more complex military exercises and deployments”.
This reflects a new “Indo-Pacific tilt” in British foreign policy following its departure from the European Union in 2020. Britain regards Japan as its important East Asian ally.
“In this increasingly competitive world, democratic societies are more important than ever as we address the unprecedented global challenges of our time,” Sunak said.
The two leaders meet at the Tower of London, a 1,000-year-old former palace and prison where the Crown Jewels are hidden.
Sunak’s office said they would view the Japanese armor presented to King James by Japanese shogun Hidetada Tokugawa in 1613 to commemorate the first trade agreement between Britain and Japan.
Japan joined the West in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Moscow. Japan also provides helmets and other non-lethal military aid to Ukraine.
Japan is concerned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could have repercussions in East Asia, where China’s military has become increasingly assertive and has threatened to unite with Taiwan by force if necessary.
Concerned about the rapid development of weapons by China and North Korea, Japan passed key security and defense reforms in December, including a counterattack capability, breaking away from the self-defense-only doctrine that has held since its defeat in World War II.
Japan holds the G7 chairmanship this year and Kishida, who is on a week-long trip to allies including Italy, France, Canada and the United States, will meet President Biden at the White House on Friday. (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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