Japan, Italy unite on Ukraine, advanced defence projects in landmark talks

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have agreed to continue sanctions on Russia and support for Ukraine, following a meeting in Tokyo.

The leaders also pledged to elevate bilateral relations between Japan and Italy to the level of a “special strategic partnership,” highlighting the steady development and deepening of cooperation in recent years, Caliber.Az reports via Japanese media.

Both leaders underlined the inseparability of European and Indo-Pacific security, confirming plans to strengthen collaboration to realise the vision of a “free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

In a joint statement, Takaichi emphasised the importance of strengthening supply chains of critical minerals, noting that closer alignment between Tokyo and Rome is necessary in response to China’s growing influence.

The two countries, both members of the Group of Seven industrialised nations, also decided to upgrade their existing “strategic” partnership to a “special strategic” partnership to reinforce cooperation across security, culture, and other fields.

Plans were announced to establish a consultative body to promote bilateral cooperation in space, while a joint trilateral project with the United Kingdom aims to develop a next-generation fighter jet targeted for deployment by 2035.

Takaichi noted: “As the international community faces a complex crisis and the strategic environment surrounding the Indo-Pacific region has become severe, close collaboration between like-minded countries has become more important than ever.”

The meeting coincides with the 160th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and Italy, and officials confirmed that a joint statement commemorating the milestone is being prepared.

The two governments share concerns over China, a leading producer of rare earths crucial for advanced technologies, and its trade practices, often criticised as “economic coercion.” Defence collaboration has also been intensified amid Beijing’s expanding military reach in the Indo-Pacific and Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, reflecting the view that security in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions is interconnected.

This marks the first official in-person meeting between Takaichi, who assumed office in October, and Meloni. The two conservative leaders previously greeted one another during the Group of 20 leaders’ summit in South Africa last November.

Separately, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas announced on January 13 that the EU aims to finalise its 20th package of sanctions against Russia in February.

By Aghakazim Guliyev