UK, Japan announce £18 billion investment package, deepen cooperation on technology and security

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in London, where the two leaders oversaw the signing of more than 10 commercial and government agreements and launched new frameworks on economic security and emerging technologies.

The package includes a five-year Japanese investment pipeline valued at more than £9 billion and is expected to support tens of thousands of jobs across Britain.

A key component is an offshore wind partnership that could unlock up to £9 billion in Japanese investment for Britain's renewable energy sector. The funding is expected to support 5.9 gigawatts of floating offshore wind projects, including developments in Scotland and the Celtic Sea.

"These landmark agreements will bring multibillion-pound investment into the UK, creating tens of thousands of new jobs and driving new developments," Starmer said.

Takaichi said the two countries had agreed to expand cooperation in economic security, energy and advanced technologies, describing Britain as "an extremely important partner" for Japan in security matters.

In a statement posted on X after the meeting, Takaichi said the leaders had issued a joint declaration on economic security cooperation and launched the Japan-UK Frontier Technology Partnership, which will guide future collaboration in areas including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors and civil nuclear technologies.

"We agreed to promote cooperation in economic security, including energy, and in advanced technology fields," Takaichi said.

The leaders also agreed to accelerate the development of a next-generation fighter aircraft under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a trilateral defence initiative involving Britain, Japan and Italy.

"We agreed to accelerate the joint development of next-generation fighter aircraft under the Global Combat Air Programme," Takaichi said, adding that the two countries would deepen cooperation in defence industry and cybersecurity.

The two leaders discussed security challenges in the Indo-Pacific, North Korea, China and Ukraine, as well as the escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Britain and Japan currently maintain economic ties worth about £140 billion annually and have increasingly expanded cooperation on trade, security and technology amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.