Tokyo Courtesy Call Reaffirms 160-Year Japan-Italy Relationship

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sato Kei received Italy's Ambassador to Japan, Mario Vattani, for a roughly 20-minute courtesy call in Tokyo on September 4, according to a readout from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting was framed around the 160th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Italy this year. Both sides said cooperation has been making steady progress across a wide range of fields, including defense and security as well as the economy.

The two officials also confirmed they would continue working to deepen a relationship that was redefined as a "Special Strategic Partner" during Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's visit to Japan in January this year.

What the 'Special Strategic Partner' Status Means in Practice

The "Special Strategic Partner" label

The designation, announced during Prime Minister Meloni's January visit, upgrades the bilateral framing from routine diplomacy toward closer coordination. In diplomatic practice, such labels are used to signal a broader and more durable agenda than individual trade or security talks.

Defense, security and economics

The readout specifically names defense and security alongside the economy, signaling where the relationship is being operationalised. While the statement does not detail concrete projects, the explicit mention of these areas suggests that the two governments view the partnership as extending beyond cultural and commercial ties into strategic coordination.