Japan, Italy Conservative Alliance to Sell Fighter Missiles and Offensive Weapons Overseas
Japan and Italy's conservative alliance are jointly pursuing the joint development of fighter jets and the overseas sale of "offensive weapons," including Patriot missiles, to transform themselves into missile fighter powerhouses.
The two conservative prime ministers, who held a summit with Italian Prime Minister Meloni in Japan on the 16th, reaffirmed their commitment to the joint development of a new advanced fighter jet and agreed to expand critical mineral supply chains, strengthen defense cooperation, and promote space exploration.
The New York Times reported on the 16th, "In recent years, Italy and Japan have worked to reduce their dependence on U.S. defense programs and, together with the United Kingdom, have developed new fighter jets for their respective militaries." "Prime Ministers Meloni and Takaichi pledged to push forward with the project and agreed to elevate the Italian-Japanese relationship to a 'special strategic partnership.'"
Prime Minister Takaichi previously approved a cabinet resolution on December 19, 2023, to request U.S. approval for the sale of advanced air defense systems manufactured in Japan. The defense ministers of Japan, Britain, and Italy signed an agreement in Tokyo on December 14, 2023, to establish a joint organization to develop a new advanced fighter jet.
The Associated Press reported on December 14, 2023, that “the three countries agreed last year to merge their separate plans, which would see Japan’s Mitsubishi F-X and Britain’s Tempest replace the retired F-2, developed with the United States, and produce a new fighter jet that could enter service by 2035.” Japan, which is rapidly building up its military, hopes to build the capacity to counter China’s growing assertiveness and welcome a greater British presence in the Indo-Pacific, and Britain announced today that its carrier strike group will visit Japan for the first time in four years in 2025.
The New York Times reported on December 21, 2023, citing two Japanese and American officials at the time, that “this is a significant shift from postwar policy restricting the export of weapons and military equipment, and a move that could help Washington support Ukraine in its war with Russia.” The move, which would allow the resale of American Patriot missiles manufactured in Japan to the U.S. government, is another sign that Japan, a pacifist nation since World War II, is taking on a larger global security role.
The Times continued, “The Japanese government is expected to discuss a policy change that would allow it to export the fighter jet it is jointly developing with Britain and Italy. When the three countries signed the fighter jet development agreement in Tokyo, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps reportedly said, ‘If Japan doesn’t agree to allow the sale of the jet to a third party, who will get the project going?’”
Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries produces Patriot missiles, which can shoot down drones and fighter jets, under license from American manufacturers Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
Patriot missiles manufactured in Japan have been supplied to Japan's military air defense system, and the Trump administration approved some of these for supply to Ukraine late last year.
Mitsubishi's website explains in its introduction to the Patriot surface-to-air missile system, "Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system comprised of a missile frame, radar, engagement control station, launch station, and antenna mast. Developed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin in the United States," and "Adopted by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, it was licensed and manufactured in Japan, with MHI Group serving as the primary contractor." At the signing ceremony for the 2023 fighter jet development agreement between Britain, Japan and Italy, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said that "the side benefit of Japan's Patriot system with the United States is that it clearly gives us flexibility in our global inventory and obligations," adding that "the change in Japanese export policy adds to the roughly 60% increase Tokyo has already announced, or 2% of its GDP, over the next five years."
The Washington Post reported on December 19, 2023, under the headline “As Ukraine’s Air Defenses Fail, U.S. Turns to Japan” with the subheading “Tokyo is Preparing a Major Policy Shift in Defense Export Rules That Would Allow Washington to Transfer Additional Patriot Missiles to Kyiv” that “This week, Japan is expected to formalize a policy that would allow the export of dozens of Patriot missiles to the United States, a move that would supplement Washington’s stockpile of missiles.” “The change is a modification to defense export regulations that does not explicitly mention the Patriot system, but it would meet a key demand of the Biden administration, U.S. officials said on condition of anonymity, as discussions are ongoing.”
The Washington Post continued, “President Biden raised the issue with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during the historic trilateral summit with South Korea at Camp David in August, and again at the San Francisco economic summit last month,” and reported, “Seoul has quietly pledged to provide Ukraine with hundreds of thousands of artillery shells over the past year, more than all European countries combined. Officials say a significant number have been provided.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni will hold a summit with President Lee Jae-myung in South Korea on the 19th, following his visit to Japan. The Blue House stated, "Prime Minister Meloni's visit to Korea will serve as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation in various fields with Italy, a European political, economic, and military powerhouse and a cradle of culture and the arts. It is also expected to further solidify the 'strategic partnership' established between our two countries in 2018."
Prime Minister Takaichi previously held a summit with President Lee in Kyoto on the 13th. In response to President Lee's call for a "South Korea-China-Japan cooperative system," he announced a "strengthening of the Japan-US-South Korea alliance," demonstrating a new conservative alliance system to counter the Trump administration, linking Italy and the UK.
See <Lee Jae-myung Demands 'China Intervention in South Korea-China-Japan'; Takaichi Rejects 'South Korea-US-Japan Regional Stability', January 13, 2026>