(Press Release: Provisional Translation)
December 17, 2025
Ministry of Defense Japan
On December 17, commencing at 17:10 (Japan Time) for approximately 35 minutes, Minister Koizumi held a Defense Ministerial Video Teleconference with Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon John Healey MP.
- At the outset, Minister Koizumi expressed his resolve to exercise leadership together with Secretary Healey to forge a new golden age of Japan-UK defense cooperation as each other’s closest security partners in Asia and Europe, based on the shared recognition that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific is inseparable. In response, Secretary Healey associated himself with the Minister’s remark.
- Both ministers discussed regional security environment. Minister Koizumi briefed the radar incident that occurred on 6th December when Chinese military aircraft intermittently illuminated JASDF fighters with radar and the Chinese-Russian bombers’ joint flight from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean that occurred on 9th December. Both Ministers shared their serious concerns over these incidents, which increase the risk of miscalculation and further escalation, and stressed their unwavering commitment to a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Both ministers concurred on the need for calm and a resolute posture, and to communicate and cooperate to preserve stability in the region.
- Both ministers confirmed to continue closely working together to elevate their cooperation to the new heights in broad areas ranging from joint exercises, defense equipment and technology cooperation including GCAP, new domains such as space and cyber, based on the first-ever Joint Statement on cooperation between both defense authorities issued this past August.
The Japan-UK Defense Ministerial VTC (PDF)