A New Dimension of UK–Japan Security Co-operation

The conference addressed important questions relating to the UK’s approach to Asia: How will UK security policy in Asia evolve after the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review and National Security Strategy? What is the optimum level of UK engagement with Japan in the context of its multifaceted interests in Asia and the limited resources it has to work with? And from Japan’s perspective, what role does Europe play in the evolving global security policy of the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and which areas are most fertile for further development? UK–Japan co-operation is ongoing in areas such as counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, intelligence- sharing and the development of defence equipment. But is there space for a more overt role for the UK in the Asia-Pacific?