Mission of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Antonio Tajani, to Tokyo and Karuizawa to participate in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Honorable Antonio Tajani, will visit Tokyo and Karuizawa (Japan) today, Saturday 15 April 2023, to participate in the work of the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. For meetings with G7 countries and Japanese counterparts. This was the Vice Premier’s first assignment to the Far East.

Japan’s diplomatic chiefs — who hold the rotating presidency — will deliver the key international address alongside Italy, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. political and economic issues and will prepare the work of the next G7 summit of heads of state and government to be held in Hiroshima from May 19 to 21. On the sidelines of the ministerial sessions, bilateral meetings between Minister Tajani and his G7 counterparts are scheduled.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s role will also be an opportunity to coordinate the government’s foreign policy activities based on development diplomacy. Japan is indeed a strategic market for Italy. Economic relations with Italy and trade exchanges between the two countries are constantly and steadily growing, thanks to many common elements that facilitate bilateral cooperation between the two economies at the institutional and commercial level. The leading sectors in Italian exports to Japan include textile-fashion (clothing, leather goods and accessories), chemical-pharmaceutical, machinery and transport sectors. Cooperation is also increasing in the field of research and technology development, especially in renewable energies, development of smart cities, biotechnologies and nanotechnologies, pharmaceuticals, robotics and home automation. During the mission, the Deputy Prime Minister will hold meetings with Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasotoshi Nishimura, heads of some major Japanese companies and prominent Italian representatives of the business community, scientific research and culture in Japan.