Japan-Italy Summit Meeting (Summary)

On December 2, commencing at 2:45 p.m. (local time, at 7:45 p.m., Japan time) for approximately 25 minutes, Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, who is visiting Dubai, United Arab Emirates to attend COP28, had a meeting with H.E. Ms. Giorgia Meloni, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

1. At the outset, Prime Minister Kishida expressed his pleasure to have the first summit meeting again with President Meloni since the one held in Hiroshima, and stated that close cooperation between Japan and Italy as strategic partners had become more important than ever before. The two leaders also concurred to ensure that the Presidency of the G7 will be transferred at various levels, in preparation for the G7 Puglia Summit next year.

2. Prime Minister Kishida welcomed the deepening of bilateral cooperation, especially in the security and defense area, and the two leaders concurred to work positively together in this area.

3. Prime Minister Kishida stated that he had welcomed the pause in the fighting, the release of hostages and the scaling up of the humanitarian deliveries into the Gaza strip and expressed regret over the resumption of fighting, emphasizing the importance of returning to the agreement and calming the situation. The two leaders also exchanged views on responses to the Russia's aggression against Ukraine among others, and concurred that they would continue to coordinate closely.

4. Prime Minister Kishida also expressed his appreciation for Italy's cooperation with Japan's G7 Presidency, and Prime Minister Meloni praised Japan's efforts as President, and the two leaders concurred to work closely together to continue the discussions of this year's G7 agenda under the Italian Presidency.