Japan wants to strike free-trade deal with Britain as soon as possible to take advantage of Brexit
The country's prime minister Shinzo Abe is keen to start informal trade talks
JAPAN'S government is keen to start free-trade talks with Britain as quickly as possible, it has emerged.
The country's PM Shinzo Abe wants a "stronger bond" with the UK after Brexit - with informal negotiations beginning straight away.
The news will come as a huge boost to Theresa May because it supports her claims about the potential for international trade outside the EU.
Britain is currently banned from cutting trade deals around the world because we are still a part of the European customs union.
Economic links between the UK and Japan come in the form of professional services, particularly finance, as well as imports of cars and other products.
Japan and the EU are expected to sign up for their own free-trade deal later this year, which will include Britain until we quit the bloc in two years.
The UK cannot start formal talks on trade with Japan or any other country until we have officially left the EU.
But Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, is keen to have preliminary talks so that we can sign a deal at the earliest opportunity.
He said: “As we leave the EU, the Department for International Trade as an international economic department will seek to deepen our trade and economic relationship with Japan and continue to create opportunities for British businesses.
“We have regular talks with them to maintain links - this includes three ministerial visits since 2016.”
Ministers want to sign deals with other countries including the US, Australia, India and China to maximise the opportunities of Brexit.
Japanese companies are believed to employ nearly 150,000 people in Britain.
Several large banks from the country are major players in the City, using London as their main European base.
And some of Britain's most important factories are Japanese-owned.
Last year, Nissan threatened to shut its plant in Sunderland, claiming to be worried about the impact of Brexit.
The company agreed to keep the factory open only after being given unspecified guarantees by ministers.