Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and British leader Keir Starmer have agreed to bolster supply chain resilience, citing "serious concerns" over export restrictions on critical minerals, in a veiled swipe at China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/06/15/japan/politics/japan-uk-summit-meeting/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ukjapanrelations #sanaetakaichi #keirstarmer #economicsecurity #fighterjets #gcap #rareearths #china

Keir Starmer will meet Sanae Takaichi on Sunday as uncertainty mounts over their joint fighter jet program with Italy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/06/14/japan/politics/starmer-meeting-takaichi-fighter-jet/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #uk #ukjapanrelations #keirstarmer #sanaetakaichi #fighterjets #defense

The government supplied antiviral drug Avigan from its stockpiles to Britain on Friday in response to a hantavirus outbreak, health minister Kenichiro Ueno has said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/05/18/japan/japan-antiviral-drug-uk/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #ukjapanrelations #uk #hantavirus #pharmaceuticals #health

A Japanese national who disembarked from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius arrived in Britain aboard a charter flight arranged by the British government, Japan's Foreign Ministry said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/05/11/japan/japanese-hantavirus-uk-arrival/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #ukjapanrelations #health #hantavirus #cruiseships

Japanese diplomats like Hiroshi Suzuki, the ambassador to the U.K., are using social media, humor and local culture to build influence, win hearts and project soft power in ways traditional diplomacy cannot. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/03/02/japan/art-of-modern-diplomacy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #hiroshisuzuki #uk #ukjapanrelations #paddingtonbear #shinzoabe

The British Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that diplomat Corin Robertson has been appointed as the U.K.'s next ambassador to Japan, succeeding Julia Longbottom. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/05/japan/politics/new-uk-ambassador-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #corinrobertson #ukjapanrelations

Britain and Japan agreed to strengthen defense and economic ties, visiting Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in Tokyo. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/01/japan/politics/japan-uk-leaders-defense-cooperation/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ukjapanrelations #uk #china #us #trade #defense

Japan is boosting defense spending and deepening U.K. ties to strengthen deterrence and stability amid declining U.S. reliability in the Indo-Pacific, a necessary and positive development. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/29/world/revamping-japan-uk-strategic-architecture/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #ukjapanrelations #us #defense #nato #indopacific #uk #hmsprinceofwales #gcap #italy

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and British Defence Secretary John Healey have shared serious concerns over moves by China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/18/japan/japan-uk-defense-ministers-talks/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #ukjapanrelations #defense #shinjirokoizumi #johnhealey

The government has said that the remains of five Ainu people will be returned from the Natural History Museum in Britain to Japan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/29/japan/society/ainu-remains-returned-britain/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #ainu #uk #ukjapanrelations