Despite a big domestic agenda and spending cuts eyed by Britain’s new Labour government, London will remain laser-focused on the Indo-Pacific, and will continue to deepen ties with Japan, the country’s top envoy to Tokyo said in an interview.

“We continue to see the Indo-Pacific as a really critical region for our interests,” Ambassador Julia Longbottom told The Japan Times, pointing out that the region offers a unique opportunity to not only tackle shared security concerns but also to generate new sources of economic growth.

The ambassador’s remarks were seen as an attempt to allay concerns that the new Labour government, which took over in July after 14 years of Tory rule, may substantially reduce its engagement in the region as it grapples with sluggish economic growth and prepares to make “difficult” budget cuts.