After Brexit, Japan worries that the U.K will not continue trading with the EU. Fortunately, the Secretary of State has different things to say. (Image via Hindustan Times)

The U.K and Japan aim for 'ambitious deal' post-Brexit

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Politics & Economic
International
Feb 09, 2020
2212
After the United Kingdom (U.K) exited the European Union (EU) in early February, the country is looking to settle an “ambitious” deal with Japan. The rumor was confirmed by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Dominic Raab who previously met his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, in Tokyo.

Motegi inquired the U.K to plead to the EU to drop the food import restriction due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. While having eased the restriction last year, the EU still insists that inspections and certifications are needed for certain Japanese products, including seafood.

Raab said that the trade deal with Japan can be brought by the end of 2020. Furthermore, he added that the process might begin earlier than Spring since the U.K sees Japan as an “absolute central country” in the Indo-Pacific region.

Raab’s trip to Tokyo was in part of multilateral negotiations post-Brexit. Besides negotiating with Belgium, the U.K is looking forward to holding trade deals with the United States (U.S) and Japan. After traveling to Japan, Raab will stop by Singapore and Malaysia, before returning to London.

The U.K itself holds a comprehensive trade deal with Japan since last year that sees a reduction in tariffs of Japanese products, especially automobiles.

Raab also wants to assure Japan that Brexit does not mean that Japan’s gateway to the EU is shut down. One of the largest automakers in Japan, Nissan Motor Co., built its factory in the U.K because it wanted to expand itself to the EU.

The secretary assured that the U.K and EU have too much in common and predicted the settlement of future relations between the two blocs will have a good ending.

Source: https://bit.ly/2OEnknb

Politics , Business , Economy , Finance , Export-Import , Europe , U.K , Asia , Japan , Brexit , EU