Rome is deploying its flagship aircraft carrier to the Indo-Pacific for joint exercises with the Japanese navy. Italy is also working together with Japan, and the UK, on a new-generation fighter jet. The Italian aircraft carrier Cavour is to make a port call in in August and take part in military exercises with units of Japan's Self-Defense Forces, with Rome becoming the latest European nation to step up its political and defense ties with Tokyo.
The deployment of the 27,100-ton flagship of the Italian Navy was announced this week in Rome by Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. He also confirmed that the carrier's complement of up to 10 advanced F-35B stealth fighters will take place in the drills "to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific," Kyodo News reported. Detachments of the , French and Spanish air forces are similarly scheduled to take part in multinational maneuvers in Japan in July.
Convergence of interests The closer ties between Rome and Tokyo appear to have been cemented by the is reported to have held a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the summit, during which the Japanese leader emphasized the need for multinational cooperation to ensure . Is the Indo-Pacific entering new era of security alliances? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that "Italy and Japan seemed to have, even in the recent past, quite different diplomatic horizons and strategic interests, with more focused on the.
