Insecurity as the propulsor for cooperation between the United Kingdom and Japan

The international system is suffering from intense insecurity and instability, but besides the difficulties, democracies have been working in unison to counter tremendous threats. An example of this, amongst other cases, is the signature of the UK-Japan defence agreement on 11 January 2023. This agreement marks a turning point in history, as the United Kingdom has become the first European country to sign a Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan, sharing this status internationally with Australia. After years of negotiations, Rishi Sunak and Fumio Kishida finally signed the agreement, thus accelerating defence and security cooperation between both nations and facilitating the accomplishment of the UK’s “tilt to the Indo-Pacific”, at a critical time. 

Japan has recently been amending its defensive strategy due to the level of unsteadiness that is being sensed in Asia. The state of affairs in East Asia is precarious; insecurity is at its highest and any unusual move could become the catalyst of war. On a first stand, North Korean threats of a nuclear attack, due to its continuous missile testsand Kim Jong Un’s order to exponentially expand its nuclear arsenal, have been increasing the possibility of a conflict, exacerbating Japanese insecurity. On the other hand, Chinese hostilities over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, in addition to Chinese threats to invade Taiwan, have also boosted the Japanese defence agreement with the UK, as Japan seeks to achieve greater protection and strengthen its military alliances. But the Japanese insecurities that have prompted the signing of the agreement are not limited to Asian pressures. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also played a role in securing the defence pact with the UK. Consequently, Japan’s 2022 White Paper, categorised China and Russia as Japan’s biggest security threats because. After the war in Ukraine, scholars and practitioners debate whether Russia's influence over China could motivate a Chinese attack in East Asia. The focus of Western capabilities and efforts on Ukraine provides China and North Korea with the opportunity to attack, hoping for less retaliation from the United States and other great powers that would take action if a war were to occur in East Asia. The concern that the war in Ukraine is creating a window of opportunity for China and North Korea to attack East Asia has led Japan to diversify its alliances, seeking to reduce its reliance on the United States by expanding its sphere of influence and protection.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Source: Twitter/ @RishiSunak

Although Japan played an active role in the development of the Reciprocal Access Agreement, the United Kingdom also has several motives, sparked by Brexit, for carrying out the negotiations. The UK’s exit from the European Union has obliged the country to increase its diplomatic practices, seeking to develop greater alliances that would support its stance on the international scene. As Chatham House Director Sir Robin Niblett explains, the UK needs to invest in its diplomatic capabilities to “share international challenges” with other powers. This is demonstrated by the many agreements the UK has signed to strengthen its role and ties in the international community; the defence agreement with Japan is one example. The development of Asian countries has pivoted British foreign affairs to Asia, seeking new projects to increase its international legitimacy and protection, now that it sees the world from a “solitary” standpoint. 

Contrary to Japan, the United Kingdom’s change in strategy has not only been motivated by security concerns, but economic incentives have also been a catalyst of the UK’s turn to Asia. The economic development in Asia has categorised its territories as the growth area for the UK to burst its economic potential whilst increasing diplomatic and military ties with Asian countries. As such, signing the Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan, offered the UK greater security, development and legitimacy in the international sphere.

Overall, the signing of the UK-Japan agreement represents, on the one hand, the UK’s tilt towards the Indo-Pacific, and, on the other, illustrates Japan’s desire to strengthen its defence capabilities to counter the Chinese and North Korean threat in the region. The desire to overcome defensive challenges is at the core of this relationship, and has not only removed barriers to enable military cooperation when necessary, but has also given rise to the planning and execution of joint military exercises and deployments. Insecurity has united Japan and the United Kingdom, forging a relationship never before seen, nor expected. This tilt towards the Indo-Pacific, not only on the part of the  UK but also of other Western powers, is a clear indication of  Asia’s growing importance in the international system. Xi Jinping’s numerous threats over Taiwan and the South China Sea, coupled with  Kim Jong Un’s threats to launch a nuclear attack on South Korea, have put Asia high on the agenda of Western states. Western democratic countries support their democratic partners in Asia through the development of agreements, uniting them as never before. In this respect, the defence agreement between Japan and the UK stands out as another example of how insecurity has become the driving force behind cooperation between democracies.