Japan-U.K. Defense Ministers’ Meeting: Maritime Nations Should Deepen Cooperation

Editorial

14:31 JST, January 18, 2025

It is significant for Japan and Britain, both maritime nations, to work together to protect free navigation and the safety of sea-lanes. It is important to deepen the relationship through building up concrete cooperation.

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani visited Britain and met with his British counterpart John Healey.

They reached an agreement on points including that the Royal Navy and the Self-Defense Forces will conduct a joint exercise in light of the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier strike group visiting Japan this year. Nakatani told Healey that Japan is considering having the SDF provide protection to the aircraft carrier and other vessels at that time.

The protection of weapons and other equipment, an arrangement in which the SDF protects the naval vessels of other countries’ armed forces in peacetime, was made possible by the security-related law enacted 10 years ago, and has so far been applied only to the United States and Australia.

If it is applied to Britain, it would indicate at home and abroad that Japan and Britain have a relationship equivalent to an alliance.

In recent years, Britain has been increasing its security and economic involvement in Asia. The aircraft carrier strike group’s visit to Japan will be its second since 2021. Last month, Britain joined the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade framework involving 11 countries, such as Japan, Australia and Malaysia.

Britain may regard fast-growing Asia as an important partner to cooperate with after its exit from the European Union. With U.S. President-elect Donald Trump hinting at imposing higher tariffs, it is timely for Britain to join a framework that promotes free trade.

It can be said that the dispatch of the aircraft carrier would also be effective in terms of putting a check on China, which has continued its aggressive maritime expansion.

During their meeting, the defense ministers also confirmed the process for the deployment in 2035 of a next-generation fighter jet, which will be jointly developed by three countries: Japan, Britain and Italy. Nakatani visited the factory of BAE Systems of Britain, which will be responsible for the design of the aircraft that will have stealth capability.

In addition, regarding the development of the next-generation fighter jet, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. will be responsible for overseeing overall systems including the design, IHI Corp. for engine development and Leonardo of Italy for electronic equipment. The three countries’ technological capabilities need to be combined to develop a state-of-the-art fighter jet.

Saudi Arabia has expressed its intention to participate in the joint development, which has been welcomed by Britain and Italy. Since the development cost of the fighter jet will amount to trillions of yen, Britain and Italy appear to be hoping to reduce the cost by having an oil-producing country join the project.

However, Saudi Arabia was involved in the civil war in neighboring Yemen until three years ago. Saudi Arabia may not be able to say for sure that it will not be involved in future conflicts in the Middle East. If the next-generation fighter jets were to be used in a conflict, Japan’s credibility as a pacifist nation could be undermined.

Japan, Britain and Italy should work to coordinate the project while maintaining the treaty that stipulates the three countries develop the fighter jet.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 18, 2025)