NextFin news, Japan's Defence Minister Gen Nakatani and British Defence Secretary John Healey announced on Thursday, August 28, 2025, in Tokyo that security cooperation between Japan and the United Kingdom has reached an unprecedented level. This announcement coincided with the arrival of the British Royal Navy's aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales at Tokyo Port, marking the first time a foreign aircraft carrier has made a port call in Tokyo.
The HMS Prince of Wales is part of a 12-nation strike group comprising 4,000 personnel on an eight-month mission across the Indo-Pacific region. The visit underscores the growing security partnership between Japan and the UK, which are working closely as each other's closest security partners in Asia and Europe.
Defence Minister Nakatani emphasized that Tokyo is seeking to broaden its security ties beyond its traditional alliance with the United States to counterbalance China's increasing influence in the region. British Defence Secretary Healey highlighted the interconnectedness of security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions, reflecting the UK's expanding role in the Indo-Pacific amid its global economic significance.
Central to the Tokyo-London security cooperation is the Global Combat Air Programme, launched in 2022, which involves Japan, the UK, and Italy collaborating to develop a next-generation fighter jet. The three partners aim to sign their first international contract for this project by the end of 2025.
The joint press conference held in Tokyo on Thursday provided details of this enhanced cooperation, with both ministers underscoring the strategic importance of their partnership in maintaining regional and global security.
Source: The Straits Times, Reuters (August 28, 2025)
Explore more exclusive insights at nextfin.ai.
