Is it a vindication of the economic merits of Brexit and a symbol of the clout of ‘global Britain’? The short answer is no.

'It is hard to predict how full Brexit would play out, because this scale of multiple simultaneous renegotiations of global trade agreements is unprecedented – and no country has ever left the EU. It certainly can’t be assumed that Britain is bound to get quick and good deals because it is a large economy.'

The EU and Japan's Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force on 1 February 2019.