Plans for Britain and Japan to collaborate on defense projects are likely to be "uncontroversial" in the early stages before moving toward more substantial programs in the future, experts say.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and his British counterpart, David Cameron, agreed in April to identify "a range of appropriate defense equipment for joint development and production," and to "seek to launch at least one program" as soon as possible. At the same time, the two sides will explore the feasibility of major collaboration in future years.
Britain is the first country to sign such a collaboration agreement with Japan, following Tokyo's decision to relax a ban on arms exports in December.