Japan-United Kingdom Relations

March 24, 2022
Photo session of Japan-UK leaders Japan-UK Summit Meeting (Photo: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)
Picture of Japan-UK Summit Meeting Japan-UK Summit Meeting (Photo: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)

On March 24, commencing at 1:30p.m. (local time; 9:30 p.m. JST), Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, who is visiting Belgium for the G7 Summit, held a summit meeting with the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. An overview of the meeting is as follows.

  1. Prime Minister Kishida stated that, with the crisis in Ukraine becoming more serious day by day, there has never been a time when the unity of the G7 is more needed than now, and that he attaches importance to close cooperation between Japan and the UK, which share fundamental values. In response, Prime Minister Johnson expressed his high regard for Prime Minister Kishida's outstanding leadership and stressed the importance of the G7 working together to maintain strict sanctions against Russia and providing maximum support to Ukraine.
  2. The two leaders shared the view that Russia's aggression against Ukraine is a serious situation that undermines the very foundations of the entire international order, not only in Europe but also in Asia. The two leaders concurred on continuing to work together towards a 'free and open Indo-Pacific' and on cooperating towards the G7 Elmau Summit in June.
  3. Prime Minister Kishida stated that North Korea's nuclear and missile activities, including the launch of what is believed to be a new ICBM-class ballistic missile today (March 24), are a clear and serious challenge to the international community, and confirmed that Japan and the UK would continue to work together in dealing with North Korea.
  4. Prime Minister Kishida welcomed the progress made by the UK towards the lifting of the UK’s import measures on Japanese food regarding radionuclides, and again called for the early lifting. Prime Minister Johnson said he is a fan of karinto (fried dough cake) made in Fukushima, and there was a scene where both leaders ate karinto brought by Prime Minister Johnson.

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