Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono

Japan on Thursday cautioned the two UK candidates vying to replace Prime Minister Theresa May that a no-deal Brexit may end 35-year partnership of Japanese companies with Britain.

Iran Press/Asia: Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono addressed both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt in an interview with Reuters on Thursday, saying that Tokyo did not want a no-deal Brexit that had led some companies to quit Britain.

Japan has long seen Britain as a gateway into the rest of the European Union and has around 1,000 companies based in the country, including major carmakers and technology firms.

Japanese firms have invested over 60 billion pounds in Britain.

But because of the 2016 vote to leave the European Union, some Japanese firms have already begun moving business out of Britain, with particular concern over the impact of a disorderly exit from the European Union on Oct. 31.

Brexit is Britain’s most significant political and economic decision since the Second World War. Pro-Europeans fear the departure will weaken the West as it grapples with the US presidency of Donald Trump.

The UK has spent nearly three years trying to negotiate a divorce from the EU, following the June 2016 referendum that resulted in the surprise victory of those in favour of Brexit.  215/211/213