Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom held talks on August 20 to strengthen cooperation in trade, defense and international security.
The two leaders affirmed the importance of the Global Combat Air Programme, through which Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy are jointly developing a next-generation combat aircraft. They also welcomed Canada as the program’s first observer, opening the way toward a broader network of defense and technological cooperation.
The leaders discussed continued support for Ukraine, further pressure on Russia, and closer UK–Japan coordination to uphold security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
The dialogue carries forward an essential part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s strategic legacy: Japan’s security must be built not in isolation, but through trusted partnerships linking the Indo-Pacific and Europe.
Through the Shinzo Abe Initiative for Peace and Security, BGF–AIWS advances this vision further—connecting defense cooperation with economic security, trusted technologies and a principled international order capable of resisting coercion while preserving peace.
A free and open Indo-Pacific requires more than military strength. It requires trusted alliances, technological resilience and the shared determination of nations to defend peace without surrendering freedom.
