Italy to boost Indo-Pacific presence, naval deployments to Japan

Italy wants to consolidate its presence in the Indo-Pacific, where China has been stepping up its maritime activities, and plans to deepen security cooperation with Japan, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a recent interview.

Italy has been dispatching warships and aircraft to Japan, and Tajani told Kyodo News in the written interview that a naval patrol ship is set to call at Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo, in September.

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Italy has stepped up efforts to support “freedom of navigation” in the Indo-Pacific, including by deploying the aircraft carrier Cavour to Japan in 2024 for the first time.

Tajani said the region is gaining strategic importance for Italy and the international community. With China in mind, he voiced opposition to “attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion” in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China seas.

In July, Canada joined as an observer in the Global Combat Air Program, a next-generation fighter jet development project pursued by Japan, Italy and Britain. Tajani said he is open to potential new partners such as Germany but stressed that any such participation must not affect the project’s progress or governance.

Tajani noted that Japan and Italy, marking 160 years of diplomatic ties this year, are deepening cooperation in advanced fields such as semiconductors and space. He said Italy aims to build an economic network stretching from the Mediterranean through the Middle East and India to the Far East.

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READ: PH, Italy renew expired defense cooperation pact

On Italy’s relations with the United States, Tajani stressed there is “no rift” despite criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who faulted the Italian government and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for refusing to cooperate with the U.S. assault on Iran.

Tajani said even allies can prioritize their own national interests in making decisions. He added that Italy is ready to join international efforts to ensure the safety of vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz. /dl