New Generation of Joint Fighter Planes Discussed by Italian and Japanese Foreign Ministers

TOKYO, April 17 – The foreign ministers of Japan and Italy, Yoshimasa Hayashi and Antonio Taiani, discussed issues of bilateral relations, joint creation of a new generation combat aircraft, and joint production of films on the sidelines of the G7 ministerial meeting in the Japanese resort of Karuizawa. The State Department said.

In December, the governments of Japan, Britain and Italy agreed to launch a global air combat program to jointly develop a next-generation fighter by 2035. In Japan, it should replace the F2, and in Italy and Britain – the Eurofighter Typhoon. In March, the first meeting of foreign ministers of the three countries was held in Tokyo.

As expected, in 2023 Japan, the UK and Italy should start developing the basic platform for the concept, and in 2024 – to the direct development of the fighter. Earlier, it was reported that the main contractors on the project are Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, UK’s BAE Systems Plc and Italy’s Leonardo SpA.

In 2023, Japan will assume the G7 presidency. The G7 summit will be held in Hiroshima from May 19 to 21. The group’s foreign ministers’ meeting began Sunday in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa in Nagano. In addition to the G7 countries, India, Australia, Brazil, South Korea, Vietnam and three other countries received an invitation to the Hiroshima Summit: Indonesia chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Cook Islands chairs the Pacific Islands Forum, and the Union of Comoros. Presidency of the African Union. In addition to these countries, the heads of seven organizations received invitations to the Hiroshima Summit: the United Nations, the International Energy Agency, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank, the World Health Organization and the World Health Organization. WTO.