Defense ministers of Japan and Britain on Thursday praised their “deep strategic alignment” as a Royal Navy aircraft carrier made a historic stop in Tokyo.

The HMS Prince of Wales, leading a 12-nation carrier strike group of 4,000 personnel on an eight-month mission, is the first foreign aircraft carrier to visit the Japanese capital, U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said at a joint press briefing.

“We are proud to be taking our air and naval cooperation to new levels,” Healey said after talks with Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani.

The cooperation, he said, reflects the U.K.’s pledge to step up its economic and security engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

Nakatani welcomed the milestone, saying: “Japan and the U.K. are the closest security partners in Asia and Europe, and we have steadily deepened our cooperation. I am delighted to share this historic moment when our defense ties have reached a new stage.”

Both countries are working with Italy on the Global Combat Air Program, aiming to deploy a next-generation fighter jet by 2035. In a joint statement, the ministers vowed to speed up efforts to finalize the program’s first international contract by year-end.

They said the initiative would support national aerospace industries, integrate cutting-edge technologies to counter future threats, and safeguard vital sectors.

Japan has been expanding its defense partnerships beyond the United States in response to China’s growing assertiveness in the region.

During recent multinational drills, a British F-35B fighter jet landed on the JS Kaga, marking the first time a U.K. aircraft operated from a Japanese carrier, underscoring Tokyo’s ongoing military buildup.