The Japanese government recently presented a memorandum to the British government — in response to a request for the views of other interested parties — concerning a British government audit of "what the European Union does and how it affects the United Kingdom."
The Japanese memorandum, after noting that the issues were primarily matters for the British government, expressed its appreciation of the role which Britain played in the EU and its expectation that Britain would maintain "a strong voice and continue to play a major role in the EU."
It noted that Britain as "a champion of free trade is a reliable partner for Japan" and is playing a leading role in leading the process of deregulation. Japan expects that Britain will "continue to strive for the completion of the single market."