UK, Japan to ink defence pact in December: Reports`

The Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) will also aim to enhance deterrence against China and will make joint exercises easier, people familiar with the talks told the newspaper on Saturday.

The United Kingdom plans to sign a new defence agreement with Japan next month, which will enable the two countries to further ties with the US in the Indo-Pacific region, The Financial Times reports citing sources. The Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) will also aim to enhance deterrence against China and will make joint exercises easier, people familiar with the talks told the London-based newspaper on Saturday.

Japan is also in the "initial stages" of considering a similar agreement with the Philippines, The Financial Times said . This report comes in the wake of a recent phone call between the two prime ministers on November 4.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Japanese counterpart agreed the UK and Japan were incredibly important allies, who played a vital role in ensuring global stability and prosperity. "Reiterating the importance of ensuring a free and independent Indo-Pacific, the Prime Minister said that the UK was aligned with Japan on the challenges in the region," Downing Street said in a statement.

Notably, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced last month that Australia and Japan had agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of defense and security by signing a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation. Kyodo news reported that any breakthrough with the UK would follow a similar deal Japan signed with Australia in January. That agreement was the first such pact for Tokyo, outside of its alliance with the United States, the report added. (ANI)