Sunak and Japanese Prime Minister sign agreements on closer defense and security ties
ishi Sunak and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida have signed a new deal to forge closer defense, security and cyber ties amid growing Chinese aggression.
As the first British Prime Minister to visit Hiroshima, Mr Sunak had dinner with his ally at his favorite restaurant on Thursday.
Mr. Sunak pledged to station a naval fleet in the Indo-Pacific, work together on key semiconductors to reduce dependence on Beijing, and double British forces in joint exercises.
He first hosted a reception for Japanese companies in Tokyo, welcoming nearly £18bn of new investment in the UK.
He then traveled to Hiroshima ahead of the G7 summit, where he will sit down with allies, including Joe Biden, to discuss helping Ukraine fight the Russian invasion.
They will also discuss the threat Taiwan faces from China, both through military aggression and economic coercion such as blockades.
After the signing of the “Hiroshima Accords,” Mr. Sunak and Mr. Kishida sat down for a dinner of seasonal sashimi and conger rice at Tosho Restaurant.
The prime minister said to his ally: “I truly believe that relations between our two countries have never been stronger.”
“You and I have now signed the Hiroshima Agreement to further strengthen and deepen our partnership.”
Downing Street said the two had discussed the possibility of further cooperation on military training and exercises as they agreed on “China’s systemic challenge to our collective economic security and regional stability”.
In a considered diplomatic manner, Mr. Sunak wore the socks of Mr. Kishida’s baseball team, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
After complying with Japanese etiquette and removing his shoes, Mr. Sunak pointed down and said, “I hope your baseball team had a better season than my soccer team, which had a very bad season.”
Bottom of the table Southampton FC will be relegated from the Premier League.
On Friday, Mr. Sunak will visit the atomic bomb dome ruins to reflect on the nuclear devastation at the end of World War II before the G7 summit begins.
As part of the deal with Japan, Mr. Sunak will commit to deploying the Navy’s Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific in 2025.
The fleet includes an aircraft carrier and fighter jets and will work with the Japanese military and other allies to defend peace and stability in the region.
A fourth Anglo-Japanese “Way Islands” military exercise, to be held in Japan later this year, is believed to be the largest yet and will involve around 170 British soldiers.
The UK and Japan have pledged to consult and consider action on major regional and global security issues.
They will also launch the semiconductor partnership to use British know-how and Japanese materials to strengthen supply chains amid concerns about Chinese dominance.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/japan-g7-hiroshima-prime-minister-rishi-sunak-security-deal-b1082108.html Sunak and Japanese Prime Minister sign agreements on closer defense and security ties
