Exchanges between Japan and Italy have intensified and broadened across various fields, including politics, the economy, culture, science, technology, academia and sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In January this year, Prime Minister Meloni visited Japan, where she reached an agreement with Prime Minister Takaichi to elevate bilateral relations to a \u2018Special Strategic Partnership\u2019. At a time when the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions are closely interconnected, cooperation between Italy and Japan is of strategic importance. In the field of security, various initiatives have been implemented, including reciprocal port calls by military vessels from both maritime nations, cooperation within the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) \u2013 which aims to deploy sixth-generation fighter aircraft by 2035 \u2013 and joint exercises involving the respective armies, navies and air forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the economic front, Italy is home to around 400 branches of Japanese companies. The Japan-Italy Business Group, which brings together companies from both countries, has been promoting trade and economic cooperation for over 35 years. Furthermore, the bond between the two countries is underpinned by genuine people-to-people exchanges. Exchanges are flourishing between people fascinated by the rich history, traditional culture and arts of both countries, as well as by Japanese and Italian cuisine, both of which are recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is against this backdrop that the 160th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations is being celebrated. During this meeting, the newly appointed Japanese Ambassador to Italy, H.E. Hikariko Ono, and Walter Di Martino, Director-General of the North-East Asia Office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will engage in a discussion to explore the history, current state and future prospects of this long-standing bilateral relationship.
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