Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will make an announcement on a deal with Japan about defence, security, and cyber after he arrives in the nation this morning.
The UK will be required by the “Hiroshima Accord,” which will be decided upon later today, to commit to sending a navy battle fleet to the Indo-Pacific in 2025 and to increasing the number of British troops participating in subsequent joint exercises.
The Prime Minister explained to reporters on the flight to Tokyo that it was part of a “aligned” strategy to counter the “risks and challenges that China poses” in cooperation with other G7 nations.
The deal will also launch a partnership on semiconductors, in order to reduce the UK’s reliance on Beijing for the vital computer components.
Other G7 leaders will be joining Mr Sunak and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Hiroshima for their latest summit, which begins tomorrow.
The prime minister will not hold more personal bilateral talks with Joe Biden at the event, but will instead sit down with Mr Kishida, France’s Emmanuel Macron and India’s Narendra Modi.
His arrival in Tokyo this morning was met with the announcement that Japanese businesses were committing to invest almost £18 billion in the UK.
Bosses of Nissan, Toshiba and Mitsubishi Estate, as well as representatives from UK firms Octopus Energy and Mott MacDonald, were expected to be involved in meetings with Mr Sunak.
Their pledge brightened a tricky couple of days for the government’s business approach, after one of the world’s top carmakers said the Brexit deal must be renegotiated or they may not keep their commitment to make electric vehicles in the UK.
Stellantis, which makes Vauxhall, Citroen, Peugeot and Fiat, warned their UK investments were in the balance due to the terms of the trade agreement.
Speaking to broadcasters at Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo, the PM said: ‘It’s something that car manufacturers across Europe, not just in the UK, have raised as a concern.
‘And as a result of that we are engaged in a dialogue with the EU about how we might address those concerns when it comes to auto manufacturing more generally.’
Economic security is expected to be at the top of the agenda when the G7 leaders meet this weekend, alongside the war in Ukraine.
In her first official foreign visit first time since moving in to No 10, the prime minister’s wife Akshata Murty is joining the G7 ‘partners’ programme’.
In a statement, Mr Sunak said: ‘It is a privilege to be visiting Tokyo and Hiroshima at this historic moment in the United Kingdom’s relationship with Japan.
‘Prime Minister Kishida and I are closely aligned on the importance of protecting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and defending our values, including free and fair trade.
‘The Hiroshima Accord will see us step up co-operation between our armed forces, grow our economies together and develop our world-leading science and technology expertise.
‘It marks an exciting next phase in the UK and Japan’s flourishing partnership.’