The 27th Meeting of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group took place in Tokyo and Karuizawa last month:
Japan and the UK have developed the closest of partnerships, based on shared fundamental values including democracy, respect for human rights, a market economy and the rule of law. Since the new British administration took office in May, the two countries have energetically sought to turn our traditional friendship into a strong, multi-faceted partnership capable of addressing the global issues of the 21st century. Following the visits to Japan of Foreign Secretary William Hague in July and Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne in September, the latest Meeting of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group has given renewed impetus to the efforts of Japan and the UK to construct an even stronger and closer bilateral relationship.
The Group was formed in 1985, at the initiative of then prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and Yasuhiro Nakasone, as a forum for Anglo-Japanese political cooperation. On this occasion, the British side expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for accepting an increased number of JET Programme participants compared with last year.
