"Strong commitment": When will HMS Prince of Wales visit Tokyo Japan on Pacific op? Ambassador hails visit
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The Royal Navy flagship will soon be reaching Japan on one of her main highlights in an important Indo-Pacific mission.
HMS Prince of Wales will make a port call to Tokyo from late August to early September as part of Operation Highmast, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed. She is currently half way through her eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region, and is currently leading the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG) through the Philippine Sea.
British ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom, hails the importance of the Royal Navy flagship’s visit. She said: “The visit of HMS Prince of Wales to Tokyo underlines the UK’s strong commitment to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific, while showcasing the remarkable depth of our partnership with Japan.
“Together, as trusted allies, we are strengthening cooperation across defence, economy, and culture. This visit demonstrates our joint determination to safeguard regional stability, and our shared ambition to deliver innovation, prosperity, and a sustainable future for the next generation.”
What will British forces be doing in Japan?
Various exercises will be conducted with the Japanese naval forces, as well as diplomatic visits from military officials and dignitaries. A programme of events is planned for Tokyo which will take place over multiple days. One of these is the Pacific Future Forum, which will be hosted on HMS Prince of Wales.
The event, in its seventh iteration, is an international summit dedicated to strengthening defence and trading relationships with nations. Discussion points will include geopolitical trends and strategic challenges confronting the UK and allies such as Japan and the United States.
A Defence & Security Industry Day will be held to showcase British defence technologies and innovation. UK companies will get the chance to showcase what they produce to their Japanese counterparts, across sectors such as space, cyber and emerging technologies.
The UKCSG recently completed Exercise Talisman Sabre off the coast of Australia, a huge multinational series of drills which involved around 35,000 military personnel. HMS Prince of Wales joined forces with USS George Washington and her US Carrier Group for much of the operation.
Currently, around 2,500 Royal Navy personnel are involved in Operation Highmast, alongside 592 pilots from the RAF and 900 troops from the British Army. The deployment will cover 26,000 nautical miles, with over 70 engagements, exercises and operations taking place alongside visiting more than 40 countries.
The Indo-Pacific is considered a major region for the UK for defence and trade relationships, with 17 per cent of total trade - £286bn in goods and services - flowing in the 12 months to September 2024.