(Provisional translation by an external company for reference purpose only)
I would like to talk about three meetings that were held: the Japan-UK-Italy Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting, Japan-UK Defense Ministers’ Meeting, and Japan-Italy Defense Ministers’ Meeting. Firstly, with regard to the Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting, I congratulated Secretary of State for Defence Healey on his appointment, and conveyed my willingness to collaboratively lead the way to success for joint development of a next-generation fighter between Japan, UK, and Italy, with a view to deepening our robust security and defense partnership. In addition, we reaffirmed the importance of protecting regional peace and stability amid an increasingly severe security environment, and concurred to manage the preparatory work toward establishment of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) International Government Organization (GIGO) within this year, as well as to remain strongly committed toward accomplishing the 2035 in-service date of the aircraft. Next, on the Japan-UK Defense Ministers’ Meeting, taking the opportunity of the first bilateral meeting since the establishment of the Labour Party administration, I once again congratulated Secretary Healy on his appointment, and concurred to further deepen bilateral cooperation as each other’s closest security partners in Asia and Europe. We also confirmed the progress of bilateral cooperation in the area of security, and I welcomed the UK further strengthening its engagement to the Indo-Pacific region, including the deployment of carrier strike group in the Indo-Pacific region scheduled in 2025. Lastly, regarding the Japan-Italy Defense Ministers’ Meeting, it was the first meeting with Minister Crosetto since our meeting in person in Tokyo last December. We welcomed the strengthening of Japan-Italy relations in recent years, including the commencement of negotiations on the Agreement on the Japan-Italy Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) were announced in June. Additionally, we confirmed that we will continue to communicate at all levels between Japan and Italy toward the further deepening of bilateral relations and the realization of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP),” and that we will more closely cooperate at the ministerial level as well.