Richard Gere has voiced his agreement with Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi over the arms embargo on China.

Whilst in Tokyo to promote his new film Shall We Dance, the actor told reporters: "I so agree with your prime minister that the European Union should not remove the ban against selling arms to China. I agree with him totally."

Koizumi has stated that the European Union's plans to lift the embargo could upset the military balance in East Asia.

The embargo is the latest in a line of political matters catch Gere's eye. He has previously spoken out against the war in Iraq, and given praise to the Dalai Lama.

Shall We Dance is a remake of a Japanese movie in which Gere stars as a middle-aged married lawyer who signs up for dancing lessons given by Jennifer Lopez.