UK: Talks On Access Agreement For Joint Exercises To Start 7 Oct-Motegi

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has confirmed that Japanese and British negotiators will open talks on a Japan-Britain Reciprocal Access Agreement on 7 October. The access agreement would be intended to facilitate joint military exercises between the two sides by allowing the swift import of military equipment from one country to the other. In a presser Motegi stated that "We believe (the agreement) will contribute to further strengthening cooperation between our two countries as we work toward realising a free and open Indo-Pacific,"

• Japan is also close to signing a RAA with Australia following an agreement in principle reached in November 2020 between Tokyo and Canberra.
• Signing an RAA with Japan would act as another rope tying the UK into the Indo-Pacific theatre alongside the newly-formed AUKUS alliance as the West seeks to bolster its military presence in the region to counter Chinese activity in the South and East China Seas.