Japan and UK ministers discuss deeper security ties on the sidelines of G7 meeting

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese and British foreign and defense ministers met and agreed to further deepen military cooperation under a new security pact that allows their militaries to enter each other’s territory for joint exercises. Japan and Britain have expanded their cooperation as concern has grown over China’s increasing influence. Japan, whose only treaty ally is the United States, has signed Reciprocal Access Agreements with Australia and the U.K., making them semi-allies. The talks Tuesday among the four ministers are the first since the RAA took effect in mid-October. They met on the sidelines of a gathering of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized nations.