Bilateral security movement of Italy and Japan

Kishida, who traveled to Italy as part of the tour of the G7 countries, met with Italian Prime Minister Meloni in the capital Rome.

In their first face-to-face meeting, Meloni and Kishida agreed to start bilateral security negotiations to strengthen defense cooperation between their countries.

At a press conference after the meeting, Kishida said that after the progress in defense cooperation, Tokyo and Rome decided to start security negotiations.

“The memorandum will facilitate cooperation between industry and security.” The Japanese prime minister said he was pleased with the interest of the European country Italy in the Indo-Pacific region.

Kishida stressed that he agreed with his Italian counterpart on the issues of “unilaterally changing the status quo through the use of force and opposing nuclear blackmail.”

During the meeting, Kishida said they stressed the importance of the G7 countries’ “strong determination” in maintaining the rules-based, free and open international order.

LEADERS SUMMIT TO BE HELD IN HIROSHIM

The 2023 G7 Leaders Summit will be held in Hiroshima, in the southwestern part of the country, from May 19 to 21, and will be hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

With the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, the United States caused the death of more than 200,000 people.

Notably, Kishida, who was elected to the Japanese Assembly of Hiroshima Province, which is considered her family’s hometown, preferred this city for the summit. (AA)