Japan Self-Defense Forces' Day Reception 2025
2025/9/8
On 8 September, Ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki hosted the 2025 Japan Self-Defense Forces’ Day Reception at the Embassy of Japan.
This year, approximately 200 participants attended, including UK Ministry of Defence officials, foreign diplomats and representatives from defence industries and other relevant agencies.
Ambassador Suzuki stated that three and a half years have passed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, emphasising the importance of fighting for the shared values of freedom, democracy and human rights, and Japan's support for this. Expressing a sense of urgency that today's Ukraine could become tomorrow's Asia, he stressed that security in the Indo-Pacific and in the Euro-Atlantic is indivisible, making it vital to further strengthen cooperation.
Referring to the recent port call in Japan by the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, he said it demonstrated an unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. In addition, he highlighted the strong cooperation between Japan, the UK and Italy within the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), and the goal of delivering the game-changing aircraft by 2035. He also discussed cooperation in cyber defence, as well as maritime and aviation fields.
He stated that the UK is Japan's closest security partner in Europe, and that the UK feels likewise, and expressed his anticipation for next year's Japan-UK 2+2 meeting.
This year, approximately 200 participants attended, including UK Ministry of Defence officials, foreign diplomats and representatives from defence industries and other relevant agencies.
Ambassador Suzuki stated that three and a half years have passed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, emphasising the importance of fighting for the shared values of freedom, democracy and human rights, and Japan's support for this. Expressing a sense of urgency that today's Ukraine could become tomorrow's Asia, he stressed that security in the Indo-Pacific and in the Euro-Atlantic is indivisible, making it vital to further strengthen cooperation.
Referring to the recent port call in Japan by the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, he said it demonstrated an unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. In addition, he highlighted the strong cooperation between Japan, the UK and Italy within the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), and the goal of delivering the game-changing aircraft by 2035. He also discussed cooperation in cyber defence, as well as maritime and aviation fields.
He stated that the UK is Japan's closest security partner in Europe, and that the UK feels likewise, and expressed his anticipation for next year's Japan-UK 2+2 meeting.
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