Defense & Security

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi Meets with Italian Counterpart, Confirms Cooperation on Next-Generation Fighter Jet

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi talks to reporters at Camp Yonaguni on Yonaguni Island in Okinwawa Prefecture in November.

By Ryuichi Sato / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

16:25 JST, February 14, 2026

MUNICH — Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto for about 20 minutes as part of his current visit to Germany on Friday (Saturday in Japan), where the two confirmed cooperation toward the success joint development of a next-generation fighter jet by Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy.

Before this, Koizumi held talks with Mark Rutte, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They shared the view that cooperation between Japan and NATO, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea is important from the perspective of deterrence, and that cooperation needs to be strengthened.

Koizumi also exchanged views with his New Zealand and Canadian counterparts on strengthening bilateral cooperation between Japan and the two countries, respectively.

In the meantime, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was set to attend the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting to be held in Munich on Saturday.