With an eye on China, Japan and Britain have agreed to expand defense ties, including closer defense-industrial cooperation and work together on new security domains such as cyberspace and outer space.
Following “two-plus-two” talks held in Tokyo on Tuesday, the nations' foreign and defense ministers said in a joint statement that they aim to boost military coordination and interoperability by conducting “more frequent and complex joint exercises,” including during the upcoming “Vigilant Isles 23” drills, which will see more than 150 British personnel deploy to Japan.
Set to start Nov. 15, the field training exercise between the British Army and the Ground Self-Defense Force will be the first to be enabled by a bilateral visiting forces pact that took effect on Oct. 15.