"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)
Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] Prime Minister Ishiba's Remarks at the Joint Press Occasion with President Sergio Mattarella of the Italian Republic

[Place]
[Date] March 5, 2025
[Source] Prime Minister's Office of Japan
[Notes] Provisional translation
[Full text]

[Opening remarks by Prime Minister Ishiba]

I am delighted to have had the chance to welcome President Mattarella today during his official visit to Japan. Japan and Italy are strategic partners that share values and principles, and with the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific growing increasingly inseparable, close cooperation between Japan and Italy is becoming more critical than ever before.

As indicated on the Fact Sheet released today that was compiled jointly by our Ministries of Foreign Affairs, although only about eight months have passed since we announced the Japan-Italy Action Plan last year, there has been significant progress in concrete cooperation between us, including the joint development of next-generation fighter aircraft, the signing of the Japan-Italy Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), and the entry into force of the Japan-Italy Film Co-production Agreement. President Mattarella and I both wholly welcome that wide array of successes. In our meeting today, we agreed that, taking such achievements as the foundation, we will further promote concrete forms of cooperation in the fields of diplomacy, security, the economy, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges, among others.

We are a mere 39 days away from the opening of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, and I wholeheartedly welcome Italy's participation there. As mentioned just now, the Italian pavilion is truly remarkable, and I very much look forward to a great many visitors at the Kansai Expo enhancing their understanding of Italy and our nations' friendly relations flourishing further.

Next year 160 years will have passed since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Italy and Japan. In order to celebrate in an all-out way next year's 160th anniversary of our countries establishing relations, our countries will act in close cooperation with each other. President Mattarella and I have also each instructed our staff to accelerate preparations for that commemoration.

Taking President Mattarella's visit to Japan as an opportunity, we will work to deepen our bilateral relations further and together work towards world peace and stability as strategic partners and fellow members of the G7.

I will end my remarks here. Thank you for listening.