United Kingdom and Japan sign technology partnership
The leaders of the United Kingdom and Japan announced on Sunday (14) a technological partnership aimed at strengthening national security and creating jobs, and promised to accelerate the development of the next generation fighter through the Global Combat Aviation Program (GCAP).
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, along with a group of business leaders, to discuss ways to deepen cooperation in areas such as technology, green energy and defense.
Alongside announcements of investments totaling £18 billion (around US$24 billion) in infrastructure, financial services and wind energy, Takaichi said that strong security ties are the foundation of the relationship between the two countries.
"We conclude that we must further accelerate progress on the Global Combat Aviation Program, which is a key part of our security cooperation," she said.
GCAP is a project for the construction of a next generation fighter, to be developed by a joint venture formed by the British BAE Systems, the Italian Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement, with the support of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Starmer's government, which is embroiled in a dispute over the need to increase defense spending, highlighted that the two leaders would confirm their mutual commitment to the project and discuss the launch of the next phase, with an international contract to be signed by the end of the month.
Starmer, who could face a challenge to his leadership in the coming months, and Takaichi also announced a series of projects that they say will help build cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, space, quantum computing and cybersecurity.
The partnership includes export agreements for selected companies, manufacturing partnerships and research projects involving some of the largest corporations in Britain and Japan, such as Rolls-Royce, BAE and NEC Corporation.
"These historic deals will bring billions of pounds of investment to the UK, creating tens of thousands of new jobs and driving new development," said Starmer.
Source: CNN