UK, Japan sign defense deal amid rising concern about China

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The leaders of Britain and Japan have signed defense agreement that could see troops deployed to each others’ countries. It comes amid growing concern about China’s increasing military assertiveness and designs toward Taiwan, which it considers a renegade province. The Reciprocal Access Agreement is Japan’s first with a European nation and allows the two countries to hold joint military exercises. The British government said the defense agreement “cements our commitment to the Indo-Pacific” region. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.K. leader Rishi Sunak formally signed the deal during a meeting in London on Wednesday. The Japanese leader is on a weeklong trip to visit allies including Italy, France, Canada and the United States,