By Ben Kerrigan-
Britain’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and his Japanese counterpart have agreed to seek an “ambitious, high standard” trade accord matching Japan’s agreement with the European Union.
Dominic Raab expressed an interest to begin talks with Japan within weeks to conclude a trade deal this year, after a meeting with Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, who asked Britain to drop European Union food import restrictions imposed after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
He arrived in Tokyo Saturday morning from Australia on a two-day visit and held talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Tokyo
Motegi met Raab in Tokyo during his first overseas trip since Britain’s departure from the EU, to discuss the negotiation of its future relationship with Brussels, and begins free trade talks with other major economies including the United States and Japan. Motegi requested Raab lift import restrictions on Japanese food and other products that were imposed by Brussels after the nuclear accident at Fukushima in 2011.
“We have too much in common, too much at stake for politics to trump the mutual economic self interest. On both sides we’ve got a chance now to focus on the positives in the relationship,” he said.
Mr Raab is on a four-nation Asian tour in his first major overseas trip since Britain left the EU on 31 January after 47 years of membership.
“In line with our commitment to free trade, we will work quickly to make the new partnership as ambitious, high standard and mutually beneficial as the Japan-EU EPA,” the two ministers said in a joint statement.