Asahi published an interview with British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jeremy Hunt, who said London is very interested in launching trade liberalization negotiations with Japan. He also emphasized his government’s desire to join the TPP11 by saying: “I don’t think TPP membership and FTA negotiations are incompatible.” Speaking on Brexit, the British official noted that top priority would be given to concluding an FTA with the EU and that such an accord would ensure that UK-based Japanese companies would be able to maintain the same level of access to the European continent as they enjoy now.