Japan and U.K. to Prepare for Economic 2+2 in Tokyo in 2025; Foreign Ministers Agree on Continued Cooperation on Trade

By Tsuyoshi Oyabu / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

13:53 JST, November 26, 2024

ROME — Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya met with U.K. foreign secretary David Lammy on Monday during a visit to Rome and expressed his desire to prepare for the first ever Japan-U.K. economic two-plus-two ministers’ meeting in Tokyo as early as possible next year.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed to establish an economic two-plus-two between the countries during a bilateral summit in Brazil on Nov. 18. The aim is to promote cooperation in matters of trade and economic security.

During the Monday meeting, Lammy declared that he would like to collaborate with Iwaya to further strengthen Japan-U.K. relations, which he said are already very good.

The two ministers also confirmed that Japan and the United Kingdom will continue to collaborate on economic matters, as the Protocol on the Accession of the United Kingdom to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) is due to take effect next month. Both ministers also reaffirmed the importance of the cooperative development of next-generation fighter aircraft by the U.K., Japan and Italy.

The ministers exchanged views on regional affairs such as the advancement of Russia-North Korea military cooperation and the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East, and agreed they would continue to work together closely.