Britain and Japan agreed to co-operate in space on Friday, the latest move in a deepening of defence ties between the two countries which are building a new fighter jet together.
Britain said on Friday that it signed an arrangement with Japan to facilitate future space co-operation including sharing space information, collaborative training and personnel exchanges.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida signed a defense agreement in January, building on their joint project, announced last year, the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP).
On Friday, Britain's Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston said in a statement that the UK and Japan are working closely together and share common values and strategic interests.
"The space domain is critical to our shared security and prosperity, and a vital area of cooperation, underpinned by UK Space Command and the Koku-Jietai," he said.
© (Thomson Reuters 2023.
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sakurasuki
Does Japan aware that Britain already out from Europe? So having collaboration with Britain doesn't mean have an easy access to Europe anymore.
kurisupisu
Neither country is much good at sending missiles up.
Japan should partner with North Korea-a veritable expert
elephant200
When did the British ever feel interest with the space exploration?
Sven Asai
I would recommend some more co-operation on Earth instead, just where the real problems are, not those phantasy ones.
Meiyouwenti
Strategically situated on either end of the Eurasian continent, the two countries have a lot to gain from intelligence sharing. Britain’s advantage in military intelligence combined with Japan’s technology will help enhance security for both island nations.
blue
@elephant200
Actually, since 1952.
Here's an interesting read about it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_space_programme
Essentially, the British (only) aspect of it seems to have died in the 80s and the UK started instead to take part in international programs (most notably the EU...which the UK threw themselves out of with Brexit...)
From a British perspective does the whole thing about space and jet fighter with Japan sound like the Brexiteers trying (desperately) to reassure themselves about the idea of a post-Brexit "global" Japan which they are not (any more) since Brexit.
From a Japanese perspective does the whole thing look like an increasingly irrelevant Japan is trying to, well, look "relevant" by working on international projects, especially in view of recent failure (e.g. the whatsit Mitsubishi plane that never took off last decade or struggles with their space launchers).
Birds of the same feather, me thinks...
casadeoctane
@blue I do think that the UK is basically a poor country pretending to be rich these days, and announcements like this are symptomatic of that. But the UK joined the ESA before the formation of the EU and is still a member and in the top 5 contributing countries to the budget.
Peter14
I look forward to the first meeting in space between Japanese and British crewed space craft. In a hundred years or so.
MiuraAnjin
Did someone Photoshop out the flag on the middle pole?