(Press Release)
November 25, 2025
Ministry of Defense Japan
On November 25, 2025, commencing at 17:00 for approximately an hour and twenty minutes, Defense Minister Koizumi virtually attended the Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting via teleconference, with the Rt Hon John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and H.E. Mr. Guido Crosetto, Minister of Defense of the Italian Republic. At this meeting, the three Ministers discussed the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a trilateral collaboration to jointly develop the next-generation fighter aircraft.
At the outset, the UK Defence Secretary Healey and the Italian Defense Minister Crosetto expressed their congratulations on the appointment of Mr. Koizumi as Japan’s Minister of Defense. In response, Defense Minister Koizumi conveyed his intention to work closely with both Ministers to ensure steady progress on GCAP.
The three Ministers reaffirmed their commitment in the preceding meeting in July to conclude the first international contract between the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO) and the Joint Venture Edgewing within this year, and agreed to continue working closely together to finalize the necessary arrangements.