The British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and its accompanying strike group entered the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal on 28 August, the first visit by a UK carrier to Japan in four years. The 65,000-ton vessel had been conducting joint drills with Japanese, U.S. and Australian forces since early August and moved to Tokyo after a two-week stay at Yokosuka Naval Base. UK Defence Secretary John Healey, visiting the ship, met Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani and issued a joint statement committing the two countries to expand cooperation in cyber, outer space and defence equipment. Healey called Japan the United Kingdom’s "closest security ally in Asia," while Nakatani said bilateral security ties had reached "a new level." Officials said Japanese destroyers recently provided protective escort to British vessels for the first time, underscoring the partners’ growing interoperability. Both ministers framed the carrier’s deployment as a signal of London’s intent to remain engaged in Indo-Pacific security amid China’s expanding military presence, stressing that Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific stability are "indivisible." The 284-metre carrier, which carries F-35B stealth fighters and helicopters, will remain in Tokyo Bay until 2 September, with limited public tours planned for 31 August. Its visit follows the 2023 reciprocal access agreement that simplified joint exercises and precedes separate Japan-Australia “2+2” talks set for 5 September, highlighting Tokyo’s broader effort to deepen regional security cooperation.