Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on her birthday. Defense cooperation and trade were high on the agenda, and the two leaders decided to elevate bilateral relations to the level of a “special strategic partnership.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid a visit to Tokyo on Friday. The fact that the visit coincided with Meloni’s birthday attracted attention on Japanese social media.
The meeting was recorded as the first official engagement between a European leader and Japan since Sanae Takaichi took office in October.
Defense Cooperation Takes Center Stage
It was reported that Japan and Italy agreed to upgrade their relationship to a special strategic partnership. The decision is said to aim at closer coordination in the face of rising global tensions.
In the field of defense, key topics included the next-generation fighter jet project jointly pursued by Japan and Italy with the United Kingdom, as well as Italy’s growing interest in the Indo-Pacific region.
Trade also featured prominently in the talks, with the trade volume between Japan and Italy reported to have exceeded €10 billion.