Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Friday that she and her Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, agreed to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals as the two countries move to deepen their alignment amid China’s growing influence.
Both Japan and Italy, members of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, also agreed to elevate their existing “strategic” partnership to a “special strategic” partnership, News.Az reports, citing Kyodo.
The upgrade is aimed at reinforcing cooperation across a wide range of areas, including security and culture, Takaichi said during a joint press appearance with Meloni following their meeting in Tokyo.
The two leaders also confirmed plans to establish a consultative body to promote cooperation in the space sector.
“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,” Takaichi said.
With 2026 marking the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Italy, the two governments are preparing a joint statement, according to Japanese officials.
Tokyo and Rome share concerns about China, which dominates global production of rare earths that are essential for advanced technologies. China’s trade practices have also drawn criticism as examples of so-called “economic coercion.”
Japan and Italy have been expanding defense cooperation amid China’s growing military presence in the Indo-Pacific and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reflecting their shared view that security in the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic regions is closely linked.
The two countries are also jointly participating in a trilateral project with Britain to develop a next-generation fighter jet, which they aim to deploy by 2035.
The meeting marked the first official in-person talks between Takaichi, who took office in October, and Meloni. The two conservative female leaders previously greeted each other during the Group of 20 leaders’ summit in South Africa in November.