LONDON: Visiting Japanese Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Monday confirmed that their countries will strengthen their cooperation in the area of security.

In strategic dialogue with Motegi, Raab explained a plan to have an aircraft carrier strike group visit Japan as part of Britain’s move to deploy it in the Indo-Pacific region.

Motegi welcomed the deployment, saying that the action is a symbol of Britain’s involvement in the region.

The two ministers, who met in person for the first time since August last year, shared serious concerns about China’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China seas.

They also confirmed that it is essential to ensure North Korea abandons its nuclear and missile programs entirely in line with UN Security Council resolutions.

Motegi and Raab agreed to promote bilateral trade and investment further under the two countries’ economic partnership agreement.

Raab mentioned Britain’s recent application to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership regional free trade deal including Japan. Motegi welcomed the move.

“The UK and Japan also agreed the basis for deepening further trade and security cooperation,” said the statement, which was issued following bilateral talks ahead of a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting.

Raab thanked Motegi for Japan’s support for Britain’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) – a multilateral trade deal that Britain sees as a major part of its post-Brexit push to secure more trade and diplomatic influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

JIJI Press with inputs from Reuters