Japan-United Kingdom Relations

November 25, 2024
Minister Iwaya shaking hands with Secretary Lammy
Minister Iwaya and Secretary Lammy during the meeting

On November 25th, commencing at 9:00 a.m. (local time; 5:00p.m. on November 25 JST) for approximately 40 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting Italy to attend the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held a meeting with the Rt Hon David LAMMY, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The overview is as follows.

  1. At the outset, Minister Iwaya expressed his pleasure at holding an in-person meeting with Secretary Lammy following the telephone meeting last month. Minister Iwaya also stated that the announcement of the launch of the Japan-UK Economic 2+2 Ministers’ Meeting (“Economic 2+2”) in Rio was a great achievement, and that would like to prepare for the first meeting to be held in Tokyo at the earliest opportunity next year. Secretary Lammy replied that he also welcomed the first in-person meeting, and that he would like to collaborate with Minister Iwaya to further strengthen the Japan-UK relations, which has been very good.
  2. The two Ministers reconfirmed the importance of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), following the Japan-Italy-United Kingdom Leaders’ Meeting on GCAP in Rio. The two Ministers also confirmed that Japan and UK will continue to collaborate in economic area, as the Protocol on the Accession of the UK to the CPTPP is due to enter into force next month. The two Ministers concurred to further promote people-to-people exchanges between Japan and UK, based on the planned expansion of the Working Holiday Programmes in Japan on December 1st.
  3. The two Ministers also exchanged views on regional affairs and, concurred to continue to work closely together on various issues in the international community, such as the situation in East Asia including dealing with North Korea on the advancement of Russia-North Korea military cooperation, the situation in Ukraine, as well as the situation in Middle East.

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