Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, left, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and shake hands ahead of talks at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo on Jan. 16. (Photo by Ken Suzuki)
Nikkei staff writers
January 16, 2026 15:11 JST
TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held a summit meeting in Tokyo on Friday, agreeing to upgrade their countries’ bilateral relationship to a “special strategic partnership.”