Meeting with Takaichi to consolidate bilateral ties
A bilateral summit in Tokyo between the only two female leaders of the G7, on the 160th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Italy and Japan. It is with this dual symbolic value that the visit of the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is read by the Japanese media. The summit, scheduled for January and confirmed by Palazzo Chigi sources, arrives at a crucial moment for relations between the two countries. In fact, immediately after taking office at the end of October, the Japanese prime minister had already expressed her intention to bring Italian-Japanese cooperation “to new levels”, underlining the progress achieved in the economic and security fields. The two leaders have already met in person at the G20 in South Africa, and the January meeting aims to consolidate the initial understanding. Meloni was also in Japan in February 2024 for a conversation with then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida; a subsequent trip, scheduled for September for Expo 2025 in Osaka, was canceled at the last moment due to the worsening crisis in Ukraine. In January 2023, Italy and Japan elevated their relations to Strategic Partnership, envisaging a structural strengthening of cooperation on issues of common interest, including international security, economy, technology, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and biotechnology. The two nations also committed to enhancing cultural and scientific exchange.
