UK's Starmer touches down in Japan as east Asia visit concludes

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has landed in Tokyo ahead of a meeting with his Japanese counterpart at the conclusion of his visit to east Asia.

Speaking to reporters on the flight from Shanghai to Tokyo, the prime minister said he looked forward to discussing both defence and security issues and trade and the economy with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Describing the visit to the Group of Seven (G7) and G20 ally as "really important", Starmer said: "Outside of Europe and the US, Japan is the biggest investor into our economy and there's 1,000 Japanese businesses supporting, I think, 150,000 jobs in the UK. So, there's a lot for us to discuss."

He added that Takaichi, who came to power in October last year, had been "very quick" to join the "coalition of the willing" led by Britain and France that is preparing a peacekeeping force for Ukraine.

Starmer is expected to meet Takaichi at her office, the Kantei, on Saturday for a working dinner.

His visit comes at the end of a four-day trip to China as he continued his efforts to "reset" the UK's relationship with Beijing.

Travelling with a delegation of more than 50 business and cultural leaders, Starmer secured a reduction in tariffs on whisky and the introduction of visa-free travel to China for British citizens.

After a meeting between Starmer and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Beijing also agreed to lift sanctions on British parliamentarians.