Deputy Minister Cirielli meets a delegation from the Japanese Senate

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edmondo Cirielli, received a delegation from the Japanese Senate, led by Senator Kazuhiko Aoki, at the Farnesina today. The meeting confirmed the excellent state of bilateral relations in the year marking the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Japan.

The two delegations discussed the key aspects of bilateral relations - which were elevated to the status of a special strategic partnership last January during Prime Minister Meloni's visit - and the main issues relating to global security. The talks also focused on cooperation in the defence industry, with particular emphasis on the GCAP partnership between Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom.

Finally, the potential synergies in Africa between the Mattei Plan and the Tokyo International Conference on African Development were explored in greater depth, in light of both countries' experience in development cooperation and Italy's recognised expertise in sectors such as food security and disaster risk reduction.