UK, Japan Forge Closer Military Ties Vs. China; Will Hold Joint Naval Drill In Asia

The aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R0-8), flagship of the Royal Navy and her Carrier Strike Group 21, will conduct combat drills for the first time with warships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in Asian waters this year.

The joint decision confirming the deployment of CSG 21 to the Indo-Pacific was revealed by top national security officials of both Japan and the United Kingdom in a "2+2" virtual conference.

Involved in this virtual meeting were Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi, Foreign Minister Dominic Raab and Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace. The four ministers agreed Japan and the UK are each other’s closest security partners in Asia and Europe.

Japan and the UK have accelerated the pace of their military cooperation due to China's continuing militarization of the South China Sea and East China Sea, and its relentless harassment of the democratic Republic of China or Taiwan.

Raab and Wallace reaffirmed the UK’s long-term commitment to working closely with Japan to uphold the security of the Indo-Pacific and demonstrate the value of a unified approach to facing global challenges.

“We will take security and defense cooperation between Japan and the U.K. to a higher level,” said Motegi.

“Japan and the U.K. have forged a close defense and security partnership that is being elevated to new heights this year when the U.K. Carrier Strike Group visits the Indo-Pacific,” according to Wallace.

HMS Queen Elizabeth (R0-8),

The UK has also indicated its intention to join the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad, which consists of Japan, the United States, India and Australia.

The addition of the UK and its formidable naval power to Quad will transform this informal security group into what some are calling the "Asian NATO."

The Royal Navy said CSG 21 reached Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in December 2020. It was also in December when JMSDF and the Royal Navy formalized their agreement to deploy together as part of CSG 21.

During her Indo-Pacific mission, HMS Queen Elizabeth will host Northrop Grumman F-35B stealth jets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, or “The Wake Island Avengers,” as well as F-35Bs from the Royal Air Force’s 617 Squadron “The Dambusters.” American participation in CSG 21 will include the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG-68).

The Royal Navy said CSG21 will provide opportunities for the RAF and Royal Navy, along with the JMSDF and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to operate together and support opportunities for future collaboration. (6 Feb. 2021)