A chronological record of the Anglo-Japan Alliance (1902-1923), and today’s emerging partnership or ‘New type of Alliance‘
Britain became the first Western power to revise its ‘unequal treaty’ with Japan.
“The focus of international competition is moving steadily towards the Pacific Ocean and… Japan is obliged… to play an ever increasingly [sic] part in the peaceful development of that portion of the globe [cheers]. I sincerely hope … that these friendly feelings and mutual sympathies which have existed between us in the past shall be daily more strongly cemented in the future [cheers].” Ito Hirobumi, London, 3 January 1902
– January 30th – Anglo-Japan Alliance concluded. Mutual recognition of interests on the continent (Britain in China, Japan in Korea), and countering Russia.
– August 12th – Anglo-Japan Alliance extended and expanded, or the ‘second alliance’ (as it is known in Japan) concluded. Mutual assistance to secure Japan’s interests in Korea and Britain’s interests in India (against Russia).
– June 10th – Franco-Japanese agreement concluded, mutual recognition of interests in Korea, Manchuria and Fukien (Japan), and in Indochina and South China (France).
– July 30th – Russo-Japanese agreement.
– Anglo-Japan Alliance renewed for 10 years, but Japan is warned not to expect British assistance in the event of war between Japan and America.
-Paris Peace Conference.
– Washington Conference sets naval balance among America, Britain and Japan at ration of 5:5:3. Alliance is not renewed.
– Ratification of Four Powers Treaty (Britain, America, France and Japan) agreed at the Washington Conference closes the door on the Anglo-Japan Alliance.
Establishment of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group at the joint recommendation of the British and Japanese Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher and Yasuhiro Nakasone. The primary purpose of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group is to promote dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. Members include parliamentarians, business leaders and representatives from the media, think tanks and academia. At the Group’s annual conference, held alternate years in the UK and Japan, delegates discuss any issue that might affect our bilateral ties and make suggestions on how to enhance them. The Chairmen’s summary and recommendations from the conference are then sent to both Prime Ministers and to government departments for consideration and action.
January – the Defense Ministers signed Memorandum Relating to Defense Cooperation to develop bilateral defense exchanges.
January 9th – Japan-UK Joint Statement: A framework for the Future
October 31st – UK Minister of Defence Philip Hammond visits Tokyo to discuss Defence Cooperation agreements with counterparts in Tokyo.
December 27th – Japan amends its Guidelines on the Overseas Transfer of Defence Equipment, opening up the possibility of trade and R&D cooperation that had been denied under the previous guidelines for interpreting the ‘Three Principles on Arms Exports’. This change permits Japan to export arms if they are: 1) to contribute to peace and international cooperation; or 2) to jointly develop or produce with a security partner or partners. This gives ‘partners’ an interesting statutory status – more than friends but less than allies?
April 10th – UK Prime Minister visits Japan and signs intergovernmental agreement to look into future partnering in the defense research and development sectors.
Extract from full text of agreement:
Reflecting the increased cooperation and engagement in the field of security and defence between the UK and Japan, we have decided:
- to launch a Foreign Minister-led “Strategic Dialogue” with a view to sharing assessments and strategic views on the regional and international environment;
- to start negotiations on a government to government information security agreement;
- to endorse Defence Ministers signing the Defence Cooperation Memorandum at the next opportunity;
- to build on the signature of this Memorandum and defence engagement, such as in research collaboration, by identifying new areas of cooperation;
- to identify a range of appropriate defence equipment for joint development and production, that can be carried out in accordance with Japan’s 2011 Guidelines for Overseas Transfer of Defence Equipment etc. which contributes to both countries’ security and presents industrial opportunities;
- to seek to launch at least one programme of such defence equipment as soon as possible and explore the feasibility of a future major programme that will also contribute to both our countries’ security and peaceful intent;
- to consider appropriate government-to-government arrangements which will ensure strict control on third country transfer and on extra-purpose use of defence equipment; and
- to explore ways to further strengthen our security and defence cooperation, including joint exercises, training and unit to unit affiliations.
Building on the initiative shown by the two Prime Ministers, Japan and the UK will deepen the existing dialogues between relevant Ministers and senior officials, to address the above mentioned issues in a joint effort to promote international prosperity and security.
June 3rd – UK and Japan exchange a memorandum to strengthen defense cooperation in various areas including cyberspace.
October – Japan’s Foreign Minister visited the UK for the First Japan-UK Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue.
October – The idea of the trans-Eurasia alliance between Japan and Europe or Japan and UK “would make the world a more stable place” said Dr Chiaki Akimoto, the head of Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) new Japan office, at the RUSI Japan office launch.
June 17th – Bilateral summit led by PM Cameron and PM Abe on sidelines of G8 meeting.
(1) The two leaders welcomed specific progress that has been made in bilateral relations in the security and defense areas and reached agreement as follows:
- (a) In the wake of close bilateral cooperation in dealing with the recent terrorist attack in Algeria, the two countries should continue strengthening cooperation, recognizing the importance of international cooperation in counter-terrorism measures.
- (b) Having substantially reached agreements on a framework for defense equipment cooperation and on concluding a bilateral Information Security Agreement, Japan and the United Kingdom should aim to sign them soon. They should also conduct joint research on how to evaluate the performance of chemical protective clothing as a specific project for their defense equipment cooperation.
- (c) The two countries should continue cooperation in the cyberspace field.
- (d) They should devise future ways for high-level dialogue and exchanges between the two countries.
- (e) The two countries should study the installation of a video hotline between the two prime ministers’ offices as suggested at this year’s UK-Japan 21st Century Group meeting.
(2) After Prime Minister Abe explained Japan’s economic measures, the two leaders reached an accord to cooperate in Japan-European Union (EU) negotiations on concluding an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) for further strengthening of economic relations between Japan and the United Kingdom. Specifically, they agreed to strive to create an environment that facilitates investment by Japanese businesses.
June 20th – Chatham House conference (opening their five-year UK-Japan Global Seminar), British MP Hugo Swire called Japan Britain’s ‘closest partner in Asia’. His counterpart at the Conference, Hiroaki Fujii, had earlier called the UK ‘Japan’s ‘most important partner in Europe’.
July 4th – UK-Japan sign “Agreement on the Security of Information” and “Agreement on the Framework of Defence Equipment”.
November – HMS Daring visits Japan. HMS Daring arrived in central Tokyo on Sunday 1 December, where it was berthed next to the Japanese ship Teruzuki for three days. British festivities to celebrate the ship’s visit were also held at the Yokohama Country Athletic Club from 3 to 6 pm on the afternoon of Sunday 1 December, including cricket and a performance by the Royal Marines Band.
November 27th – exchange of Liaison Officers between HMS Illustrious and DDS Ise to support bilateral coordination for HADR operations in the Phillippines (link).
April 14th Before an audience of 250 at the Japanese Diet, UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nicholas Houghton advocated an ‘enhanced and formalised’ UK-Japan defence relationship that would help both countries cope with ongoing global and regional challenges. (link)
May – Prime Minister Abe visits London. Japan and the UK agreed to “start negotiations on an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement [ACSA] (a military logistics support agreement to provide logistic, technical, and administrative support to each other’s forces) at an early date and hold their first ‘2+2′ foreign and defence ministerial meeting. Prime Minister Abe and Cameron’s joint statement added that they would “examine the opportunities and develop proposals” to make joint contributions to international peacekeeping efforts, military exchanges, joint exercises, operations and support, and “establishing a new mechanism to share information and analysis that supports the purposes of our co-operation” (link).
May 2nd – Vice Parliamentary Minister of Defence Kihara Minoru gave a speech at IISS entitled “Japan and the UK as strategic partners – toward further co-operation in the defence field” (link). Call to strengthen the UK-Japan relationship as a ‘trans-Eurasia relationship’ to compliment the trans-pacific relationship (Japan-US) and trans-Atlantic relationship (UK-US).
July 15 – Hugo Swire, Minister for Asia gave a speech entitled The UK in the Asian Century at the Carnegie Institute, Washington, on how a prosperous and stable Asia Pacific matters to British interests. The subtext was that Britain has its own intentions about playing a role in Asia (trade, peace and stability and values), but re-assured the Washington DC audience that “By closer co-operation on Asia Pacific, we [US and UK] can further strengthen Trans-Atlantic ties and together ensure that both our countries get the best from the Asian Century”.
July 17 – Japan and UK agree to joint development of missile technology for air-to-air ‘Meteor’ missiles (link). The Meteor project, which is developing missiles for Eurofighter planes, is being led by Franco-British missile maker Matra BAe Dynamics (MBD) along with other European firms.
November HMS Atherstone spent two weeks working in close company with the ships and staff of the Japanese 51st Mine Division in the waters of the Gulf. (Link)
Royal Navy deploys liaison permanent liaison officer to MSDF (double hatted with liaison function to US 7th Fleet). (Link)
January 12-13 – RUSI UK-Japan Strategic Dialogue.
January 21 – 2+2 meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers in London.
May 15 The deputy commandant of the UK Royal Marines, Brigadier Richard Spencer, visited Japan to advise the country’s Self-Defence Forces (SDF) on creating a amphibious rapid reaction force to defend remote islands (link).
August UK Foreign Minister Philip Hammond visits Japan, and voices support for PM Abe’s proposed security legislation expanding the role of Japan’s Self Defence Forces (link).
September 18 UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond congratulates Japan on new security legislation.
“I congratulate the Japanese Parliament on passing legislation that will allow Japan to play a greater role in international peace and security. The UK welcomes these security reforms, and we look forward to Japan taking an increasingly active part in peacekeeping operations and supporting international efforts to secure peace and prosperity. I look forward to further discussions with the Japanese government as it implements these important changes. We remain determined to work closely with Japan to defend and protect our global shared interests, and play our part in upholding the rules-based international system.”
August 31 Japan UK Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation (so-called 17 point plan)
December 14 Third ministerial 2+2 meeting, Joint statement
April – Anglo-Japan “alliance” crosses a threshold into the operational realm with RN Warships participating in UN sanctions enforcement alongside JMSDF (link)
UK Royal Marines visiting Japan on HMS Albion joined the Japan Self Defence Forces amphibious rapid deployment brigade (ARDB) activated just a few months prior, to conduct a joint exercise coming ashore from the HMS Albion and the Japanese Navy’s JS Shimokita. Although the exercise was canceled owing to a passing typhoon, the joint planning phase of the exercise went ahead (link).
British frigate HMS Argyle Japanese destroyer Inazuma and Japanese helicopter carrier Kaga take part in a joint naval drill in the Indian Ocean.