TOKYO: Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will sign a reciprocal access agreement for military officers with British counterpart Rishi Sunak next week, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Friday.

The agreement, which relaxes immigration controls for military officers, aims to strengthen security ties between the two countries to counter rising threats from Russia and China, Yomiuri said, citing multiple unnamed government sources.

Japan, Britain and Italy last month announced a joint project to develop next-generation jet fighters, marking Japan’s first major industrial defence collaboration beyond the United States since World War Two.

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Kishida is set to visit the United Kingdom on Jan. 10-11, during a tour to Group of Seven countries that includes France, Italy, Canada and the United States.