If you sell me £8 more of stuff, and I sell you £2 more of stuff, then it& #39;s true that overall our trade has increased £10.

Worth thinking about the detail, though, because it& #39;s the same as the announced Japan-UK trade deal. Under it, Japan will see 80% of the increase in trade.

In other words, the figure of £15.2 billion in the UK Government& #39;s press release isn& #39;t expected growth in UK exports - it& #39;s total growth in trade between the UK and Japan. But the Government admits elsewhere that 80% of the growth will be on Japan& #39;s side. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-japan-agree-historic-free-trade-agreement">https://www.gov.uk/governmen...

I should also add that even sites like the FT, which have produced superb analyses of the deal, seem to have missed this nuance, because it& #39;s not obvious from the press release. It has to be read in conjunction with the 13 May Policy Paper.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uks-approach-to-negotiating-a-free-trade-agreement-with-japan/uk-japan-free-trade-agreement-the-uks-strategic-approach">https://www.gov.uk/governmen...