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Why was PM Keir Starmer in Japan?

TOKYO – Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s three-day visit to Japan this week was far more than a diplomatic courtesy call. It represented a critical test of his government's economic doctrine, "securonomics," on the world stage. Against a backdrop of global supply chain anxieties and heightened geopolitical competition, Starmer’s mission was to cement the UK’s role as a key strategic partner for Japan, focusing on the tangible pillars of trade, defence, and technology investment.

The visit, the first by a British Prime Minister to Tokyo since 2022, was meticulously framed not as a charm offensive, but as a working summit. For a Labour government that inherited a sluggish economy, the objective was clear: translate post-Brexit trade agreements and security pacts into concrete jobs and growth back home.

The Big Picture: Securonomics in Action

Starmer's administration has sought to distance itself from the "Global Britain" rhetoric of its predecessors, favouring a more pragmatic approach focused on economic resilience and stable, long-term partnerships. The trip to Japan is the primary international expression of this strategy.

The core message delivered in meetings with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and leaders of Japanese industry was one of reliability. After years of political volatility in the UK, Starmer’s aim was to present a stable Britain, open for business and committed to its international obligations.

• Strategic Goals: The visit was built around three core objectives: fully activating the UK’s membership in the CPTPP trade bloc, advancing the multi-billion-pound GCAP fighter jet programme, and attracting Japanese investment into the UK's green energy sector.

Deepening Trade Through CPTPP

With the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) now fully ratified and in effect since late 2024, the focus has shifted from negotiation to implementation. Japan, a key architect of the bloc, was a vital stop for demonstrating the UK's commitment.

Discussions moved beyond tariffs to the practicalities of unlocking market access. For the UK, the prize is expanding its world-leading services sector—including finance, legal, and digital services—across the 11 other member nations. Starmer was accompanied by a delegation of business leaders from these sectors to reinforce the point.

• Trade Focus: The emphasis was on moving from treaty ratification to tangible business gains, particularly for UK professional services and agri-tech, by utilising the mechanisms within the CPTPP framework. This includes aligning standards and simplifying regulations to reduce non-tariff barriers.

Defence and Security: The GCAP Factor

Perhaps the most significant pillar of the visit was the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). The landmark trilateral pact between the UK, Japan, and Italy to develop a next-generation stealth fighter jet is a cornerstone of the UK's industrial and defence strategy.

The project, projected to be worth tens of billions of pounds over its lifetime, is critical for the UK’s sovereign defence capability and its high-skilled manufacturing base, with major hubs in Lancashire and Scotland. Starmer's meetings were intended to ensure the complex project remains on track, with shared work and technology development proceeding smoothly.

This defence collaboration underpins the UK’s "Indo-Pacific tilt," providing a substantive military-industrial partnership that anchors Britain’s strategic relevance in the region.

• Strategic Pillar: The GCAP initiative serves as both a critical defence project and a high-tech industrial strategy, binding the UK and Japanese economies and securing thousands of highly skilled engineering jobs in both nations for decades to come.

The Push for Green Technology and Investment

A central plank of the Labour government's domestic policy is its Green Industrial Strategy, including the creation of GB Energy. A key objective of the Japan trip was to secure the foreign investment needed to make it a reality.

Japan is a global leader in battery technology, hydrogen power, and advanced manufacturing. Starmer’s agenda included meetings with the leadership of major corporations like Hitachi, Toyota, and Sumitomo, which already have a significant footprint in the UK. The pitch was direct: partner with the UK to build the next generation of gigafactories, offshore wind components, and hydrogen infrastructure.

• Investment Target: The primary goal was to secure Japanese capital and technological expertise for the UK's green transition. This includes attracting investment for battery manufacturing facilities in the North of England and the Midlands, areas central to the government's "levelling up" agenda.

What's Next?

The success of this visit will not be measured by the communiqués signed this week, but by the flow of trade and investment in the years to come. The Prime Minister's trip was designed to set the strategic direction; the detailed follow-up will now fall to the respective government departments and business councils.

Immediate next steps will involve a series of targeted trade missions focused on digital services and renewable energy. Officials from both countries will also accelerate work on aligning regulations to smooth the path for GCAP component sharing and joint R&D.

Ultimately, Starmer’s journey to Japan was a calculated move to prove that his government’s economic vision extends beyond British shores. By focusing on the practical implementation of existing agreements, he sought to position the UK not as a disruptive force, but as a predictable and indispensable partner in an uncertain world. The financial markets, and British workers, will be watching to see if the strategy pays off.

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