Johnson confident of ‘all singing, all dancing’ trade deal with Japan

The UK is poised for an “allsinging, all-dancing” postbrexit free trade deal with Japan, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has predicted.

During a visit to Tokyo, Mr Johnson insisted economic investment attracted by Britain since the EU referendum showed the country had a bright future on its own.

He said: “I have found a wide measure, or a growing measure, of understanding about what is involved. They see the possibilities of a great new free trade deal between the UK and the EU, and you can see the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

“We have seen since 23 June record investments in the UK – 2,200 separate investments. A huge takeover of ARM by Softbank, £24 billion, the biggest international investment I think we have seen in our country… perhaps in history.

“And Nissan putting two more models on the production line in the North East.

“So, I find there is a much greater confidence and understanding of how it’s going to work.

“And a real enthusiasm for free trade with the UK. And what they already want to do is, post-2019, they want to take that Eu-japan free trade agreement and turn it into a fantastic, all-singing and alldancing, Uk-japan free trade agreement.”

Mr Johnson also used the visit to insist the UK stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Japan as the country tries to halt North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests.

He said: “We all need to increase the pressure on Pyongyang through diplomacy and sanctions, and that must include China using its influence to bring North Korea back to the negotiation table.”