Italy and Japan have signed a bilateral agreement to strengthen defense cooperation, reports "Reuters", quoted by News.bg.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya signed an agreement called ACSA (Acquisition and Cross-Service Agreement). The agreement aims to facilitate the procurement, supply, exchange of resources in the military field and the rapid mobilization of aid in emergency situations and natural disasters.
The two countries are also Britain's partners in the GCAP (Global Combat Air Programme) program to develop an advanced front-line fighter. The project envisages the new aircraft entering service around the middle of the next decade.
Italy emphasized that the GCAP program represents a "concrete example of how countries based on the same system of values can join forces to respond to the complexities of the modern world".
Minister Ivaya will participate in the meeting of the foreign ministers of the G-7 countries, which will be held in Italy today.