Prime Minister Keir Starmer's press statement in Tokyo
alongside Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Thank you, Prime Minister Takaichi.
My visit comes at a time when geopolitical, economic
and technological shocks are shaking the world.
This matters deeply to the British people –
Because these international events increasingly come crashing
into our daily lives.
When war overseas drives up fuel prices at home…
It's families that feel it first.
When supply chains fracture…
It is small businesses and working people who absorb the
shock.
And when instability rises,
It is the vulnerable who are most exposed.
So our response, together, must be one of strength and
clarity…
Deepening our resilience, our power, and our alliances –
To better serve our people.
Prime Minister Takaichi and I share this perspective.
That's why I'm here today.
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Together, we are the leading economies in the CPTPP…
Allies in the G7 and G20…
And partners in the Coalition of the Willing.
Japan is the UK's largest inward investor outside the US
and Europe –
Sustaining 150,000 British jobs.
Now, I remember the state banquet…
That His Majesty the King held for Emperor Naruhito at Buckingham
Palace in 2024.
He said then that our two nations are “friends like no other.”
And I'm proud to say…
That this relationship is the strongest now that it has been in
decades.
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The Prime Minister and I have had an excellent meeting
today.
And we have set out some clear priorities to build an even
deeper partnership in the years to come.
That includes working together to strengthen our collective
security…
Across both the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific.
I thanked the Prime Minister for her steadfast leadership
in supporting Ukraine.
And we discussed deepening our industrial and technological
collaboration –
Building on our GCAP partnership, on which we place great value.
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Our priorities for this partnership also include boosting growth
and economic resilience.
And I want to highlight 3 points.
First – technology and innovation.
We have shared strengths here –
And so we are identifying frontier tech challenges to work
on together…
Increasing our collaboration on science and research…
Across quantum, AI and advanced connectivity…
Finding new opportunities to work together on space…
And launching, today, a new Strategic Cyber Partnership…
To improve our cyber security and protect our economies.
*
Second, we're going to do more together on energy and
resilience.
Japan is a major investor in British renewables.
And again, we see real potential to go further –
To accelerate deployment for newer innovations in
offshore wind…
And collaborate further on nuclear and fusion energy as
well.
On that basis, today we are firing the starting pistol…
On work to build an even stronger clean energy partnership –
One that boosts energy security and sovereignty…
Increases competitiveness…
And leverages our respective strengths in tech, financing
and manufacturing.
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Third, we are both proud trading nations.
So we have a clear interest in maintaining free and
predictable trade…
And a free and open Indo-Pacific –
To ensure our businesses can thrive in a turbulent world.
So we are going to work together to support the
institutions…
Which help provide the stability and predictability that
our countries need to flourish.
That includes expanding the CPTPP…
And deepening its cooperation with the EU.
And it includes building more diversified supply chains in
key areas such as critical minerals.
Ultimately, this is how we will make our economies
more resilient…
And how we will deliver economic prosperity and security for
our people.
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So I want to thank the Prime Minister for hosting us today.
We share vital interests and principles.
But more than that –
We share an ambition for this partnership which can deliver
real benefits for both nations.
I look forward to driving that forward together –
And I look forward to welcoming you to Chequers later this
year.
Thank you very much.
