Takaichi Visits UK to Upgrade Defense and Economic Ties
From 13 to 14 June 2026, Japan’s Prime Minister (PM) Sanae Takaichi was on an official visit to the UK. This visit follows US PM Keir Starmer’s visit to Japan in January 2026. The visit also precedes the G7 Summit scheduled to kick off in France on 15 June 2026. Following the reinforcement of ties between Japan and the UK, both sides qualify the relationship as a ‘quasi-alliance.’
Two major documents were inked during this visit: the Japan-UK Frontier Technology Partnership and the Japan-UK Leaders’ Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation. The joint declaration focused on cooperation to counteract economic coercion arising from a dominant position in the global supply chains for #CriticalMinerals. The Frontier cooperation covers hitech and emerging sectors such as semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence (#AI), and Quantum Computing.
Takaichi and Starmer co-hosted a Japan-UK Business Roundtable at the official residence and office of the UK Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street in London. Captains of industry from both countries participated, including Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, NEC Corporation. Japan and the UK promoted the joint research and development of the next-generation supersonic fighter jet under the Global Combat Air Programme (#GCAP) and the advancement of nuclear power.
The Roundtable unlocked GBP 18 billion ($24.1B) in investment, with the bulk going to support #EnergyTransition with projects involving nuclear energy and offshore wind energy. Mitsubishi Estate, Mitsui Fudosan, and Nomura Real Estate all committed billions of pounds to building property development across the UK. The UK Semiconductor Center (UKSC) and Japan’s chipmaker Rapidus signed a cooperation MoU to give British fabless designers access to Japan’s state-of-the-art 2-nm semiconductor manufacturing.
Both sides also exchanged views on world affairs, such as the Iran-US conflict, which has an impact on their respective economies. Both Japan and UK express the with for an early ceasefire and the resumption of free navigation through the #HormuzStrait.