Name: Italy and Japan upgrade ties to strategic partnership
Uploaded: 2026-01-16T18:16:15.128Z
Duration: 1 min
Description: The partnership between Italy and Japan — its third-largest trading partner in Asia — centers on defense and security, economic security and critical minerals, and cooperation in Africa.

The partnership between Italy and Japan — its third-largest trading partner in Asia — centers on defense and security, economic security and critical minerals, and cooperation in Africa.

Tokyo

Italy and Japan have strengthened their bilateral relationship by upgrading it to a special strategic partnership, emphasizing security in the Indo-Pacific region. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takahashi met in Tokyo to mark the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations and discussed defense and industrial innovation.

The leaders highlighted progress on joint defense projects such as the Global Combat Air Program and the Next Generation Fighter project with the United Kingdom. Both countries also reiterated their condemnation of North Korea's nuclear programs and expressed concerns about its military cooperation with Russia.

Italy and Japan upgrade ties to strategic partnership

Italy and Japan have strengthened their strategic partnership with a focus on the security in the Indo-Pacific. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with her counterpart Sanae Takahashi in Japan to mark the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Rome and Tokyo. Meloni's third visit to Japan aimed to upgrade the bilateral relations to a special strategic partnership in response to a global landscape characterized by instability. Defense and industrial innovation were at the heart of the talks. The two leaders acknowledged the progress of the Global Combat Air Program, the Next Generation Fighter project developed together with the United Kingdom. Particular attention was paid to security in the Indo-Pacific. They also reiterated the condemnation of North Korea's nuclear programs and concerns over its military cooperation with Russia.

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Breakdown