TOKYO (AP) — The U.K.'s top diplomat says Britain will flourish with or without an agreement on its exit from the European Union.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said in an interview Tuesday in Tokyo that he is cautiously optimistic a deal will be reached, but that "there's a lot of work to do to get there."

Japanese companies with operations in Britain are among those worried about the economic impact of a so-called "no-deal" Brexit next March.

Hunt is in the Japanese capital to hold "strategic dialogue" talks with Foreign Minister Taro Kono.

He also said dialogue with North Korea has helped improve the atmospherics, but it's time for North Korea to take concrete actions toward eliminating its nuclear weapons.