Japan charm offensive begins but Cable brands trade-deal bid absurd

MICHAEL SETTLE

export table, were worth around £80 million, an 18 per cent increase on the year before.

Mrs May’s spokeswoman said: “Her main priorities for the visit include making progress on the shape of the post-Brexit trading relationship as well as exploring ways to boost the UK’s defence and security co-operation.”

However, it has already been suggested Mrs May will be disappointed as the Japanese Government is concentrating on completing its trade deal with the EU, which it agreed in principle last month.

One Japanese Government insider admitted: “I don’t think there will be substantial progress. We haven’t finished [free trade] negotiations with the EU and many issues still remain.”

Elsewhere, Shinichi Iida, the minister for public diplomacy at the Japanese embassy, noted how Japanese firms in the UK were “concerned” with the Brexit processes to come and said it was “no secret” the Government in Tokyo preferred a situation in which the UK would remain within the EU. Mr Lida added: “Prime Minister May’s visit and her assurance to be given to the Japanese businesses that the process will be transparent and the process and agreement will be of a phased approach … will be reassuring to Japanese businesses and the Government.”

But Sir Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat leader, claimed Mrs May’s attempt to get an “EU-style” trade deal with Japan was absurd and her visit to Japan had descended into farce before it had even begun.

He said the indication by Whitehall ministers would seek a trade deal with Japan based on the existing EU-Japan deal was a “staggering statement”, which added a new level of absurdity to the UK’s negotiating strategy.