Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara is considering visiting Britain in late July to reaffirm cooperation over the joint development of a next-generation fighter jet, which also involves Italy, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday.
Arrangements for the potential visit come as Britain prepares for a July 4 general election, which opinion polls indicate could bring an end to 14 years of Conservative Party-led government. Kihara hopes to swiftly forge ties with any new British Cabinet.
The trip, however, could be delayed depending on circumstances on the British side, the sources said.
The envisioned meeting between Kihara and his British counterpart would likely focus on ways to facilitate the three-way fighter jet development, ahead of the launch of an international organization to manage the project called the Global Combat Air Program.
The organization called GCAP International Government Organization, dubbed GIGO, is expected to be established in Britain by the end of March 2025, and the two countries are likely to discuss funding and staffing for the body. A Japanese national is set to lead the organization.
Japan, Britain and Italy agreed in December 2022 to develop a next-generation fighter aircraft by 2035 in a bid to bolster their defense partnerships, reflecting the tough security environment amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's maritime assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
The last time Kihara met with his British counterpart Grant Shapps was in November in Tokyo.
