Japan welcomes Brexit deal betwen UK and EU

The Japanese government has welcomed the trade deal struck by Britain and the European Union (EU) on Thursday that should avert economic chaos on New Year's Day and bring a measure of certainty for businesses after years of Brexit turmoil. Once ratified by both sides, the agreement will ensure Britain and the 27-nation bloc can continue to trade in goods without tariffs or quotas after the UK breaks fully free of the EU on January 1.

"The government of Japan remains committed to further strengthening relations with the EU and the UK based on cooperative frameworks including economic partnership agreements," said Katsunobu Kato, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, on Friday at a press conference.

Relief was palpable all around that nine months of tense and often testy negotiations had finally produced a positive result. "To ensure the smooth economic activity of Japanese companies operating in the UK and EU member states, we will continue to provide necessary support including information sharing to Japanese businesses," Kato said.

The Christmas Eve breakthrough was doubly welcome amid a coronavirus pandemic that has left some 70,000 people in Britain dead and led the country's neighbours to shut their borders to the UK over a new and seemingly more contagious variant of the virus circulating in England.