Post–Brexit U.K.–Japan Security Co–operation: Towards a Renewed Special Relationship?

This chapter builds on the in-depth account of contemporary developments in U.K.-Japan security relations provided by Mulloy. In contrast, however, with Shetler-Jones’ focused exposition of recent military exchanges, it does so by broadening the scope of analysis in order to interrogate the extent to which the U.K. and Japan have moved towards a new so called special relationship across a range of security spheres in the post-Brexit world. From at least as early as 23 June 2016, when it became clear that the ‘Leave’ campaign had won the Brexit referendum, there has been an increased sense of uncertainty about what the U.K.’s departure from the European Union (EU) might mean in terms of the country’s broader security relations. Given that Britain is arguably Europe’s most significant contributor to regional and global security regimes, Brexit not only matters for the future of intra-European security, but also for how the U.K. – as ‘Global Britain’– forges relations with other key external partners, including those from across Asia, led by Japan.