Japan-Italy Summit Meeting (2)

On January 16, 2026, following their meeting, the two leaders held a joint press occasion, followed by a working lunch. Lastly, they held a small-group meeting with the participation of female ministers.

The Prime Minister made the following remarks at the joint press occasion:

“I would like to extend a heartfelt welcome to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of the Italian Republic on behalf of the Government and the people of Japan, and I am delighted that we were able to hold a substantive face-to-face meeting today.

It is a great honor that Giorgia celebrated her birthday in Japan yesterday. Together with the people of Japan, I would like to celebrate Giorgia’s birthday. Happy birthday, Giorgia.

This occasion has prompted me to reflect on a new starting point for Japan–Italy relations. As the international community faces complex and multiple crises and the strategic environment surrounding the Indo-Pacific region continues to grow increasingly severe, close cooperation among like-minded countries has become more important than ever for the peace and prosperity of both our countries and the region.

Japan and Italy have steadily built cooperation as strategic partners sharing common values and principles. On the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and taking the opportunity of Giorgia’s visit to Japan, we have concurred on redefining and further elevating the relations between Japan and Italy as a ‘Special Strategic Partnership.’

Under this new partnership, I would like to further develop bilateral cooperation across a wide range of fields, including security, the economy, economic security, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

In the field of security, the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Italian Republic Concerning Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Armed Forces of the Italian Republic (“Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement”, or ACSA) entered into force in September last year. In addition, steady progress has been made in port calls by naval vessels, joint exercises, and the joint development of next-generation fighter aircraft under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) by Japan, Italy, and the United Kingdom. We will work together to further accelerate this progress.

In the context of economic security, amid growing international concerns over export restrictions on critical minerals, Giorgia and I fully shared the recognition that it is an urgent task for like-minded countries as a whole to cooperate in strengthening supply chain resilience for critical minerals used across various industries. We intend to further strengthen cooperation with Italy, including within the framework of the G7.

I welcome the steady progress in cooperation between our two countries in the fields of infrastructure and energy. Based on the Memorandum of Cooperation on gas signed between the relevant authorities last year, we will also advance cooperation on the mutual supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in times of emergency. Such concrete initiatives symbolize the deepening and timely cooperation between Japan and Italy in the current international environment.

Cooperation in the field of science and technology is also promising. In particular, in the space domain, where both our countries possess expertise, we will newly establish a space dialogue and work together toward concrete outcomes, including missions on the International Space Station, Earth observation, industrial cooperation, and the use of satellites for disaster prevention and monitoring. I would like to express my appreciation for, and welcome, Italy’s decision to participate in GREEN×EXPO 2027. I conveyed to Giorgia my best wishes for the success of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will begin next month.

Becoming 'Special Strategic Partners' has brought Japan and Italy, as well as the two of us as leaders, even closer together. I hope that we will continue to work ever more closely and join forces to address challenges facing the international community. Thank you, Giorgia.”