November 20, 2024
Ministry of Defense
1. Japan-Italy-United Kingdom Leaders’ Meeting on Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP)
On November 19, commencing at 11:35 a.m. (UTC-3, on November 19, at 11:35 p.m. JST) for approximately 20 minutes, H.E. Mr. Ishiba Shigeru, Prime Minister of Japan, during his visit to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, attended the Japan-Italy-United Kingdom Leaders’ Meeting on Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with ｔhe Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and H.E. Ms. Giorgia MELONI, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic. Link to the overview is here.（Ministry of Foreign Affairs HP）
2. GCAP Joint Statement
Following the Japan-Italy-United Kingdom Leaders’ Meeting, on November 20 JST, Defense Ministers of Japan, Italy and the UK issued the GCAP Joint Statement, welcoming the recent progress made on GCAP. The statement is shown below.
GCAP Joint Statement
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, Japanese Defense Minister NAKATANI Gen and UK Defence Minister John Healey have welcomed recent progress made on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), which was outlined by the Prime Ministers of the three countries who met in the margins of the G20 Summit in Brazil on 19 November 2024.
- Acknowledging the progress made since the launching of the GCAP in December 2022, the Defence Ministers from Italy, Japan and the UK welcomed the approval by all three parliaments of the “CONVENTION ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE “GLOBAL COMBAT AIR PROGRAMME - GCAP INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION”. The Convention lays a solid basis for delivering a next-generation fighter aircraft by 2035 and for further enhancing the defence industrial base of each country.
- The three Ministers concurred that the headquarters of the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO) will be in the UK, and will stand up imminently. In view of the spirit of equal partnership among the three countries that has characterised the programme from the outset, the first Chief Executive of the GIGO’s GCAP Agency will be from Japan, and the first leader of the proposed Joint Venture - which is being established by industry partners - will be from Italy. Mr. OKA Masami is the Japanese government’s nominee for the GCAP Agency Chief Executive.
- The three Ministers also welcomed the progress made by industry partners who will soon sign a Joint Venture Agreement to create the new company that will lead GCAP delivery. The proposed Joint Venture will be headquartered in the UK with the GIGO to achieve maximum alignment. Both entities will work together with teams from across the three nations to support capable, affordable and timely programme delivery, including the 2035 in service date.
- The three Ministers have reaffirmed their strong commitment to the programme, to deepening trilateral cooperation for the shared objectives of GCAP and ensuring its continued success.