Japan-United Kingdom Relations
The Japan-UK Vice Ministers’ Meeting
December 20, 2024
On December 20, Mr. OKANO Masataka, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a meeting with Sir Philip Robert BARTON KCMG OBE, Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom (in VTC format). The overview is as follows:
- The two sides welcomed the progress of Japan-UK relations in various fields, including security and defense, economy, and people-to-people exchanges by highlighting the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the launch of the Japan-UK Economic 2+2 Ministers’ Meeting (“Economic 2+2”), and the accession of the UK to the CPTPP.
- The two sides also exchanged views on regional issues such as the situation in East Asia including dealing with North Korea on the advancement of Russia-North Korea military cooperation, on the nuclear and missile issues as well as the abductions issue, the situation in Ukraine, and the situation in Middle East. They concurred to strengthen Japan-UK cooperation to address these issues.