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Italy–Japan relations are the bilateral relations between Italy and Japan.

Bilateral relations between Japan and Italy formally began on 25 August 1866, but the first contacts between the two countries date back at least to the 16th century, when the first Japanese mission to Europe arrived in Rome in 1585 led by Itō Mancio.

In the 19th century Italy and Japan saw great changes in their political and social structure, with the former gaining national unity in 1861 and the latter entering, from 1868, into a process of profound modernization along Western lines that took the name of the Meiji Restoration. In this same period, relations became increasingly close, culminating in the participation of the two countries as members of the Axis in both World Wars.

Italy has an embassy in Tokyo and a consulate-general in Osaka. Japan has an embassy in Rome and a consulate-general in Milan.

History

Early relations from the 13th Century

Although relations between Japan and Italy formally began with the signing of the first treaty of friendship in 1866, the first contacts between the two nations can be traced back to the 13th century, when Marco Polo (1254-1324) learned of the existence of Japan, which he called Cipango (or Zipangu).^[1] Although he never set foot on Japanese soil, the Venetian navigator described the Japanese country as a large independent island full of riches.^[2] He is credited as being the first person to introduce the "island country" into the European imagination.^[3]

Japan remained relatively isolated and therefore immune to Western influence at least until 1543, when a Portuguese ship containing Portuguese and Italian Jesuits was blown off course and landed in the Asian country.^[4]^[5] The Japanese Roman Catholic Christian daimyōs dispatched the Tenshō embassy to Pope Gregory XIII. This was the first Japanese mission in a foreign land on the initiative of the missionary Alessandro Valignano and the Christian daimyō Ōtomo Sōrin, Ōmura Sumitada and Arima Harunobu. The delegation consisted of four young dignitaries: Itō Mancio, Giuliano Nakaura, Martino Hara and Michele Chijiwa, joined by the Jesuit Diogo de Mesquita, who acted as their interpreter.^[6]

The group arrived in Italy in 1585 and were received in Rome by Pope Gregory XIII and especially by his successor Pope Sixtus V, who made them a gift of the Church of Santa Maria dell'Orto, which has been the place of worship for the Japanese Catholic community in the Italian capital ever since. In 1615, the daimyō of Sendai, Date Masamune, sent another delegation headed by the samurai Hasekura Tsunenaga. The latter met Pope Paul V, and formally requested a trade treaty between Japan and Mexico (then Viceroyalty of New Spain), as well as the sending of Christian missionaries to Japan.^[7]

The 19th century

During the 19th century, Italy and Japan experienced similar historical periods, characterised by huge changes in their political and social structure.^[8] Italy achieved national unity in 1861 during the period known as the Risorgimento, while Japan saw the end of the Bakufu system and the beginning in 1868 of a process of profound modernization along Western lines that came to be known as the Meiji Restoration.

This period also coincided with the beginning of formal relations between the two countries: in 1860 the first Italian merchant ship docked in Nagasaki, while the arrival of the military steamer Magenta in the port of Yokohama (27 May 1866) led to the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce on 25 August of the same year, ratified in Edo by Captain Vittorio Arminjon.^[9]^[10]

As a result, the Italian ships were able to expand their activities to the ports of Kanagawa, Nagasaki and Hakodate. One year later, Tokugawa Akitake, younger brother of the shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu, went to Italy as part of the first official Japanese trip to the European country, which also corresponded to the last official trip organized by the Tokugawa shogunate, close to its collapse.^[11]

The beginning of official relations was also characterized by an intense commercial exchange, which led Italy, between the end of the Edo period (1603-1868) and the beginning of the Meiji period (1868-1912), to absorb up to one fifth of Japanese silkworm eggs exports.^[12]

In 1873, the Iwakura mission arrived in Italy, organized by the new government as part of the series of measures it had taken to renew Japan. A key figure in the relations between the two countries was Count Alessandro Fè d'Ostiani,^[13] designated Minister Plenipotentiary for China and Japan in 1870, who accompanied the members of the mission during their visit. The mission visited cities such as Florence, Naples, Venice and Rome, where it was received by Victor Emmanuel II. The main interest in Italy was directed towards artisanal works and the different aspects of modernization in the country.^[14]^[15]

In the meantime, some Italians obtained important public positions in the Japanese government^[which?], testifying to the growing influence of Italy in Japan.^{[citation needed]} In 1872, Edoardo Chiossone became director of the Ministry of Finance's Paper and Securities Workshop, Alessandro Paternostro was legal advisor to the Ministry of Justice from 1885 to 1890, General Pompeo Grillo worked at the Osaka foundry from 1884 to 1888, followed by Major Quaratesi from 1889 to 1890 and Major Scipione Braccialini, who taught ballistics from 1892 to 1893.^{[citation needed]}

Japanese art and culture was also influenced by Italy, not least because the painter Antonio Fontanesi, the sculptor Vincenzo Ragusa and the architect Giovanni Vincenzo Cappelletti came to Japan in 1876. They were invited by the government of Tokyo, as part of the modernization process strongly desired by Emperor Mutsuhito. Fontanesi became rector and head of the art department of the Tokyo Technical School of Fine Arts, Ragusa played a significant role in the development of modern Japanese sculpture by introducing bronze casting technologies and other European sculpture techniques, while Cappelletti designed the Yūshūkan military museum at the Yasukuni shrine.^[16]^[13]^[17]^[18]

The popularity of opera in Italy led to the development of a new musical genre called "Japanese opera",^[19] which in turn influenced Italian opera, as in the case of Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly.^[20]

In 1894, a further agreement between the two countries was signed, strengthening the one of 1866, while in 1912 a treaty on trade and navigation was signed. Italy and Japan were also part of the Eight-Nation Alliance that put down the Boxer Rebellion in China between 1899 and 1901.

The World Wars

First World War

During World War I, they were both members of the Allied Powers and fought against Germany from 1914 to 1918. After the war, Italy turned out to be one of the nations in favor of the racial equality proposal put forward by Japan at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919.^[21] Military relations between the two countries also continued during the intervention in Siberia (1918-1922) during which they fought against Communists as allies. This operation that took place within the general framework of a larger plan of intervention by the Western powers and against the Red Army during the Russian Civil War.

In the meantime, in 1920, pilots Guido Masiero and Arturo Ferrarin, together with their engine drivers Roberto Maretto and Gino Capannini, successfully completed the 'Rome-Tokyo Raid',^[22] which writers Gabriele D'Annunzio and Harukichi Shimoi had called for, and which represented the first air link between Europe and Japan.^[23]

Second World War

Dissatisfaction with the post-World War I order led to the rise of authoritarian regimes in Italy and Japan. Both countries pursued aggressive foreign policies in the 1930s, ultimately culminating in the withdrawl of Italy and Japan from the League of Nations in 1933 and 1937, respectively. Italy and Japan established important political and diplomatic contacts that resulted in various political and economic agreements, sealed by the Italian economic mission to Nagasaki in 1938. Relations between the two countries were facilitated by Italy's recognition of Japanese rule in Manchuria and Japan's recognition of Italian rule in East Africa, the latter of which allowed the opening of important trade routes between Japan and the new Italian colonies.^[24] The alliance between Italy and Japan was formalized by the signing of the Tripartite Pact, which also included Germany, on September 27, 1940 in Berlin.

As leading members of the Axis powers, Italy and Japan took part in World War II against the Allied powers. Relations between Italy and Japan reached a high point on December 11, 1941, when Italy declared war on the United States in solidarity with Japan following its attack on Pearl Harbor four days earlier. However, relations between Italy and Japan came to a halt on September 3, 1943 with the signing of the Cassibile armistice. The Italian concession of Tianjin in China was subsequently occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army without fighting. The Italian soldiers that pledged allegiance to Benito Mussolini and the new Italian Social Republic had their weapons returned and were incorporated into the Japanese armed forces for the duration of the war.^[25] Japan maintained political and economic relations with the Social Republic until 1945, though relations were strained by differences in war aims during the final years of the conflict.^[26] After the war, 158 Italian nationals were deported from Japan.^[27]

Relations from 1945 to the present day

Italy and Japan, having both suffered defeat in World War II, resumed cooperation during the Cold War after a period of reconstruction and became integral parts of the so-called Western bloc (led by the United States), which for about half a century was politically and ideologically opposed to the Eastern bloc (led by the Soviet Union and comprising states adhering to the Warsaw Pact).

In 2002, the then President of the Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi described relations between the two countries as being based on "an ancient and firm friendship, nourished by a continuous tradition of exchange and cooperation". In 2009, the Japanese government donated more than €6 million to Italy for the project of assistance and reconstruction of the city of L'Aquila, hit by an earthquake in April of that year. Similarly, Italy was at the forefront of providing humanitarian aid to Japan following the Tōhoku earthquake and tidal wave in 2011, as well as engaging in solidarity initiatives in the following years, mainly from the private sector. In 2014, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi described relations with Japan as "absolutely important and crucial".^[28]

High level visits

On 10 January 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome.^[29]

On 8 November 2023, Yōko Kamikawa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held informal talks with Antonio Tajani, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on the margins of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Tokyo.^[30]

Diaspora

The number of Japanese nationals residing in Italy is 14,937 as of 2019. The number of Italian nationals residing in Japan is 4,695 as of 2020.^[31]

Resident diplomatic missions

Italy has an embassy in Tokyo and a consulate-general in Osaka.
Japan has an embassy in Rome and a consulate-general in Milan.

References

^ ""Japan, the Land of Gold." How True Is the Old Legend? : NIPPONIA No. 45". web-japan.org. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
^ Hoffman, Michael (2008-07-27). "Cipangu's landlocked isles". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
^ Hoffman, Michael (2015-10-10). "It's a small world, with no respect for islands". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
^ "V&A · Japan's encounter with Europe, 1573 – 1853". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
^ Ruiz-de-Medina, Father Juan G. (1993). Cultural Interactions in the Orient 30 years before Matteo Ricci. Catholic Uni. of Portugal, 1.
^ Benzoni, Maria Matilde (2012). Americhe e modernità : un itinerario fra storia e storiografia dal 1492 ad oggi. Milano, Italy: FrancoAngeli. p. 133. ISBN 978-88-204-0408-6. OCLC 809762398.
^ "The Samurai Who Met the Pope | Culture, Japanese Culture". Tokyo Weekender. 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
^ "Asian Century Institute - Italy and Japan -- opposites attract!". 2014-12-27. Archived from the original on 2014-12-27. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
^ "Ambasciata d'Italia a Tokyo, La sede". 2014-07-28. Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
^ Marcianò, Domenico (2006). Cinquecento anni di storia : le relazioni tra l'Italia e le Filippine dai navigatori avventurosi ad oggi. Cosenza: Pellegrini. ISBN 978-88-8101-359-3. OCLC 79862382.
^ Beretta, Lia (c. 2008). Il viaggio in Italia di Tokugawa Akitake : 1867, la missione in Europa del fratello dell'ultimo shogun. Moncalieri: Centro interuniversitario di ricerche sul "viaggio in Italia, ". ISBN 978-88-7760-084-4. OCLC 290431644.
^ "150 Anniversario dei rapporti Diplomatici fra Giappone e Italia". www.it.emb-japan.go.jp. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
^ ^a ^b "Antonio Fontanesi". Turismo Reggiano. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
^ Iwakura Roma, Shōko (1992). Itinerario della missione di Iwakura in Italia nel 1873. Istituto giapponese di cultura.
^ The Iwakura mission in America and Europe : a new assessment. Ian Nish. Richmond, Surrey <U.K.>: Japan Library. 1998. ISBN 1-873410-84-0. OCLC 40410662.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^ 東京国立博物館 -トーハク-. "Oyatoi Gaikokujin - Antonio Fontanesi and Vincenzo Ragusa". www.tnm.jp. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
^ "Yushukan Museum│Yasukuni Jinja". www.yasukuni.or.jp. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
^ "The Japanese girl who choose Palermo for love". Retrieved 2021-09-23.
^ "Asian Century Institute - Italy and Japan -- opposites attract!". asiancenturyinstitute.com. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
^ "Madama Butterfly | opera by Puccini". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
^ Lauren, Paul Gordon (1988). Power and prejudice : the politics and diplomacy of racial discrimination. Boulder: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-0678-7. OCLC 17731724.
^ "Il raid Roma Tokio del 1920, Schede tecniche aerei militari italiani e storia degli aviatori". 2014-02-23. Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
^ "Amicizia Italo-Giapponese - articolo dalla rivista Sapere". 2007-06-14. Archived from the original on 2007-06-14. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
^ Del Boca, Angelo (1986). Gli italiani in Africa Orientale - 3. La caduta dell'Impero. Editori Laterza. ISBN 9788842028109.
^ Enrico Cernuschi and Vincent P. O'Hara (2006), "Italy and the Pacific War", World War II Quarterly 3(1): 14–19.
^ Viganò, Marino (1991). Il Ministero degli affari esteri e le relazioni internazionali della Repubblica sociale italiana (1943-1945) (1. ed. italiana ed.). Milano: Jaca Book. ISBN 88-16-95081-1. OCLC 27079236.
^ Watt, Lori (2010). When Empire Comes Home: Repatriation and Reintegration in Postwar Japan. Harvard University Asia Center. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-674-05598-8.
^ system (2020-12-20). "Italia-Giappone: Renzi incontra Abe, nostre relazioni cruciali". Adnkronos. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
^ "Italian, Japanese leaders agree to form "strategic partnership"". Reuters. 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
^ Amt, Auswärtiges. "Close partners in times of crisis: G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tokyo". German Federal Foreign Office. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
^ "Japan-Italy Relations". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. 2021-11-04. Retrieved 2024-05-14.

Baskett, Michael (2009). "All Beautiful Fascists?: Axis Film Culture in Imperial Japan" in The Culture of Japanese Fascism, ed. Alan Tansman. Durham: Duke University Press. pp. 212–234. ISBN 0822344521

External links

Presenza Italiana in Giappone 2010" (Japanese: 日本におけるイタリア企業便覧 2010年版; Archive). Italian Trade Commission.

[1] ""Japan, the Land of Gold." How True Is the Old Legend? : NIPPONIA No. 45". web-japan.org. Retrieved 2021-09-21.

[2] Hoffman, Michael (2008-07-27). "Cipangu's landlocked isles". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2021-09-23.

[3] Hoffman, Michael (2015-10-10). "It's a small world, with no respect for islands". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2021-09-24.

[4] "V&A · Japan's encounter with Europe, 1573 – 1853". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 2021-09-23.

[5] Ruiz-de-Medina, Father Juan G. (1993). Cultural Interactions in the Orient 30 years before Matteo Ricci. Catholic Uni. of Portugal, 1.

[6] Benzoni, Maria Matilde (2012). Americhe e modernità : un itinerario fra storia e storiografia dal 1492 ad oggi. Milano, Italy: FrancoAngeli. p. 133. ISBN 978-88-204-0408-6. OCLC 809762398.

[7] "The Samurai Who Met the Pope | Culture, Japanese Culture". Tokyo Weekender. 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2021-09-23.

[8] "Asian Century Institute - Italy and Japan -- opposites attract!". 2014-12-27. Archived from the original on 2014-12-27. Retrieved 2021-09-23.

[9] "Ambasciata d'Italia a Tokyo, La sede". 2014-07-28. Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2021-09-23.

[10] Marcianò, Domenico (2006). Cinquecento anni di storia : le relazioni tra l'Italia e le Filippine dai navigatori avventurosi ad oggi. Cosenza: Pellegrini. ISBN 978-88-8101-359-3. OCLC 79862382.

[11] Beretta, Lia (c. 2008). Il viaggio in Italia di Tokugawa Akitake : 1867, la missione in Europa del fratello dell'ultimo shogun. Moncalieri: Centro interuniversitario di ricerche sul "viaggio in Italia, ". ISBN 978-88-7760-084-4. OCLC 290431644.

[12] "150 Anniversario dei rapporti Diplomatici fra Giappone e Italia". www.it.emb-japan.go.jp. Retrieved 2021-09-23.

[:0-13] "Antonio Fontanesi". Turismo Reggiano. Retrieved 2021-09-23.

[14] Iwakura Roma, Shōko (1992). Itinerario della missione di Iwakura in Italia nel 1873. Istituto giapponese di cultura.

[15] The Iwakura mission in America and Europe : a new assessment. Ian Nish. Richmond, Surrey <U.K.>: Japan Library. 1998. ISBN 1-873410-84-0. OCLC 40410662.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

[16] 東京国立博物館 -トーハク-. "Oyatoi Gaikokujin - Antonio Fontanesi and Vincenzo Ragusa". www.tnm.jp. Retrieved 2021-09-23.

[17] "Yushukan Museum│Yasukuni Jinja". www.yasukuni.or.jp. Retrieved 2021-09-23.

[18] "The Japanese girl who choose Palermo for love". Retrieved 2021-09-23.

[19] "Asian Century Institute - Italy and Japan -- opposites attract!". asiancenturyinstitute.com. Retrieved 2021-09-24.

[20] "Madama Butterfly | opera by Puccini". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-09-24.

[21] Lauren, Paul Gordon (1988). Power and prejudice : the politics and diplomacy of racial discrimination. Boulder: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-0678-7. OCLC 17731724.

[22] "Il raid Roma Tokio del 1920, Schede tecniche aerei militari italiani e storia degli aviatori". 2014-02-23. Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2021-09-24.

[23] "Amicizia Italo-Giapponese - articolo dalla rivista Sapere". 2007-06-14. Archived from the original on 2007-06-14. Retrieved 2021-09-24.

[24] Del Boca, Angelo (1986). Gli italiani in Africa Orientale - 3. La caduta dell'Impero. Editori Laterza. ISBN 9788842028109.

[WWIIQ-25] Enrico Cernuschi and Vincent P. O'Hara (2006), "Italy and the Pacific War", World War II Quarterly 3(1): 14–19.

[26] Viganò, Marino (1991). Il Ministero degli affari esteri e le relazioni internazionali della Repubblica sociale italiana (1943-1945) (1. ed. italiana ed.). Milano: Jaca Book. ISBN 88-16-95081-1. OCLC 27079236.

[27] Watt, Lori (2010). When Empire Comes Home: Repatriation and Reintegration in Postwar Japan. Harvard University Asia Center. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-674-05598-8.

[28] system (2020-12-20). "Italia-Giappone: Renzi incontra Abe, nostre relazioni cruciali". Adnkronos. Retrieved 2021-09-24.

[29] "Italian, Japanese leaders agree to form "strategic partnership"". Reuters. 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2024-05-14.

[30] Amt, Auswärtiges. "Close partners in times of crisis: G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tokyo". German Federal Foreign Office. Retrieved 2023-11-28.

[mofa-31] "Japan-Italy Relations". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. 2021-11-04. Retrieved 2024-05-14.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Expand Italian|date=November 2018}}
+{{Expand Italian|topic=gov|date=November 2018}}
 {{Infobox bilateral relations|Italy–Japan|Italy|Japan}}
+'''Italy–Japan relations''' are the [[bilateral relations]] between [[Italy]] and [[Japan]].
-[[File:The embassy of Italy in Tokyo Japan.jpg|thumb|Embassy of Italy in Japan]]
-[[File:Sallustiano - v Q Sella villino di Rudinì 1280046.JPG|thumb|right|Embassy of Japan in Rome]]
-'''Italy–Japan relations''' are the [[bilateral relations]] between the [[Italy|Italian Republic]] and [[Japan]].
 Bilateral relations between Japan and Italy formally began on 25 August 1866, but the first contacts between the two countries date back at least to the 16th century, when the first Japanese mission to Europe arrived in Rome in 1585 led by [[Itō Mancio]].
-In the 19th century Italy and Japan saw great changes in their political and social structure, with the former gaining national unity in 1861 and the latter entering, from 1868, into a process of profound modernization along Western lines that took the name of the Meiji Restoration. In this same period relations became increasingly close, culminating in the participation of the two countries as allies in both [[World war|World Wars]].
+In the 19th century Italy and Japan saw great changes in their political and social structure, with the former gaining national unity in 1861 and the latter entering, from 1868, into a process of profound modernization along Western lines that took the name of the Meiji Restoration. In this same period, relations became increasingly close, culminating in the participation of the two countries as members of the Axis in both [[World war|World Wars]].
+Italy has an embassy in [[Tokyo]] and a consulate-general in [[Osaka]]. Japan has an embassy in [[Rome]] and a consulate-general in [[Milan]].
-After the [[World War II|Second World War]], Italy and Japan both experienced a period of strong economic growth, which enabled them to recover from the disastrous situation in which they found themselves after the end of the conflict and to forge renewed economic and [[trade agreement]]s, as well as active scientific cooperation for technological development.
+== History ==
-Nowadays, Italy and Japan enjoy a cordial and friendly relationship. Italy is one of the best loved countries in Japan and one of the most popular European tourist destinations{{cn}}, thanks above all to the success of the ''[[Made in Italy]]'' brand which has contributed, since the 1990s, to increasing Japanese appreciation of [[Culture of Italy|Italian culture]].{{cn}}
+=== Early relations from the 13th Century ===
-Italy has an embassy in [[Tokyo]] and Japan has an embassy in [[Rome]].
-== Early relations from the 13th Century ==
 Although relations between Japan and Italy formally began with the signing of the first treaty of friendship in 1866, the first contacts between the two nations can be traced back to the 13th century, when [[Marco Polo]] (1254-1324) learned of the existence of Japan, which he called [[Names of Japan|Cipango]] (or Zipangu).<ref>{{Cite web|title="Japan, the Land of Gold." How True Is the Old Legend? : NIPPONIA No. 45|url=https://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia45/en/feature/feature01.html|access-date=2021-09-21|website=web-japan.org}}</ref> Although he never set foot on Japanese soil, the Venetian navigator described the Japanese country as a large independent island full of riches.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hoffman|first=Michael|date=2008-07-27|title=Cipangu's landlocked isles|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2008/07/27/general/cipangus-landlocked-isles/|access-date=2021-09-23|website=The Japan Times|language=en-US}}</ref> He is credited as being the first person to introduce the "island country" into the European imagination.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hoffman|first=Michael|date=2015-10-10|title=It's a small world, with no respect for islands|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/10/10/national/media-national/small-world-no-respect-islands/|access-date=2021-09-24|website=The Japan Times|language=en-US}}</ref>
@@ Line 23: / Line 19: @@
 [[File:Ulisse aldrovandi, monstrorum historia, per nicola tebaldini, bologna 1642, 051 cinesi e giavanesi.jpg|thumb|A [[Chinese people|Chinese]] man, a Japanese man, and a Japanese woman from ''Monstrorum Historia'', 1642]]
-== The 19th Century ==
+=== The 19th century ===
 During the 19th century, Italy and Japan experienced similar historical periods, characterised by huge changes in their political and social structure.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-12-27|title=Asian Century Institute - Italy and Japan -- opposites attract!|url=http://www.asiancenturyinstitute.com/international/507-italy-and-japan-opposites-attract|access-date=2021-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227044711/http://www.asiancenturyinstitute.com/international/507-italy-and-japan-opposites-attract|archive-date=2014-12-27}}</ref> Italy achieved national unity in 1861 during the period known as the [[Italian unification|Risorgimento]], while Japan saw the end of the [[Shogun|Bakufu]] system and the beginning in 1868 of a process of profound modernization along Western lines that came to be known as the [[Meiji Restoration]].
@@ Line 34: / Line 30: @@
 In 1873, the [[Iwakura Mission|Iwakura mission]] arrived in Italy, organized by the new government as part of the series of measures it had taken to renew Japan. A key figure in the relations between the two countries was Count Alessandro Fè d'Ostiani,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Antonio Fontanesi|url=https://turismo.comune.re.it/en/reggio-emilia/discover-the-area/people-history-traditions/famous-people/antonio-fontanesi|access-date=2021-09-23|website=Turismo Reggiano|language=en}}</ref> designated [[Minister Plenipotentiary]] for China and Japan in 1870, who accompanied the members of the mission during their visit. The mission visited cities such as [[Florence]], [[Naples]], [[Venice]] and [[Rome]], where it was received by [[Victor Emmanuel II of Italy|Victor Emmanuel II]]. The main interest in Italy was directed towards artisanal works and the different aspects of modernization in the country.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Iwakura Roma|first=Shōko|title=Itinerario della missione di Iwakura in Italia nel 1873|publisher=Istituto giapponese di cultura|year=1992}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/40410662|title=The Iwakura mission in America and Europe : a new assessment|date=1998|publisher=Japan Library|others=Ian Nish|isbn=1-873410-84-0|location=Richmond, Surrey <U.K.>|oclc=40410662}}</ref>
-In the meantime, some Italians obtained important public positions in the Japanese government, testifying to the growing influence of Italy in Japan. In 1872, [[Edoardo Chiossone]] became director of the Ministry of Finance's Paper and Securities Workshop, Alessandro Paternostro was legal advisor to the Ministry of Justice from 1885 to 1890, General Pompeo Grillo worked at the Osaka foundry from 1884 to 1888, followed by Major Quaratesi from 1889 to 1890 and Major Scipione Braccialini, who taught ballistics from 1892 to 1893.
+In the meantime, some Italians obtained important public positions in the Japanese government{{which|date=May 2024}}, testifying to the growing influence of Italy in Japan.{{cn|date=May 2024}} In 1872, [[Edoardo Chiossone]] became director of the Ministry of Finance's Paper and Securities Workshop, Alessandro Paternostro was legal advisor to the Ministry of Justice from 1885 to 1890, General Pompeo Grillo worked at the Osaka foundry from 1884 to 1888, followed by Major Quaratesi from 1889 to 1890 and Major Scipione Braccialini, who taught ballistics from 1892 to 1893.{{cn|date=May 2024}}
 Japanese art and culture was also influenced by Italy, not least because the painter [[Antonio Fontanesi]], the sculptor [[Vincenzo Ragusa]] and the architect Giovanni Vincenzo Cappelletti came to Japan in 1876. They were invited by the government of [[Tokyo]], as part of the modernization process strongly desired by [[Emperor Meiji|Emperor Mutsuhito]]. Fontanesi became rector and head of the art department of the Tokyo Technical School of Fine Arts, Ragusa played a significant role in the development of modern Japanese sculpture by introducing bronze casting technologies and other European sculpture techniques, while Cappelletti designed the [[Yūshūkan]] military museum at the [[Yasukuni Shrine|Yasukuni]] shrine.<ref>{{Cite web|last=東京国立博物館 -トーハク-|title=Oyatoi Gaikokujin - Antonio Fontanesi and Vincenzo Ragusa|url=https://www.tnm.jp/modules/r_free_page/index.php?id=505&lang=en|access-date=2021-09-23|website=www.tnm.jp|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Yushukan Museum│Yasukuni Jinja|url=https://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/yushukan/|access-date=2021-09-23|website=www.yasukuni.or.jp|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Japanese girl who choose Palermo for love|url=https://www.sicilystoriesandmore.it/en/people/the-japanese-girl-who-choose-palermo-for-love/|access-date=2021-09-23|language=en-US}}</ref>
@@ Line 42: / Line 38: @@
 In 1894, a further agreement between the two countries was signed, strengthening the one of 1866, while in 1912 a treaty on trade and navigation was signed. Italy and Japan were also part of the [[Eight-Nation Alliance]] that put down the [[Boxer Rebellion]] in China between 1899 and 1901.
-== The World Wars ==
+=== The World Wars ===
-=== First World War ===
+==== First World War ====
-During [[World War I]], they were both members of the [[Allies of World War I|Allied Powers]] and fought against [[German Empire|Germany]] from 1914 to 1918. After the war, the Kingdom of Italy turned out to be one of the nations in favor of the clause on  [[Racial Equality Proposal, 1919|Japanese racial equality proposal]] put forward by the Japanese Empire during the Paris Peace Conference in 1919.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lauren|first=Paul Gordon|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/17731724|title=Power and prejudice : the politics and diplomacy of racial discrimination|date=1988|publisher=Westview Press|isbn=0-8133-0678-7|location=Boulder|oclc=17731724}}</ref>
+During [[World War I]], they were both members of the [[Allies of World War I|Allied Powers]] and fought against [[German Empire|Germany]] from 1914 to 1918. After the war, Italy turned out to be one of the nations in favor of the [[Racial Equality Proposal, 1919|racial equality proposal]] put forward by Japan at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lauren|first=Paul Gordon|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/17731724|title=Power and prejudice : the politics and diplomacy of racial discrimination|date=1988|publisher=Westview Press|isbn=0-8133-0678-7|location=Boulder|oclc=17731724}}</ref> Military relations between the two countries also continued during the [[Siberian intervention|intervention in Siberia]] (1918-1922) during which they fought against [[Communism|Communists]] as allies. This operation that took place within the general framework of a larger plan of intervention by the [[Western Powers|Western powers]] and against the Red Army during the [[Russian Civil War]].
-Military relations between the two countries also continued during the [[Siberian intervention|intervention in Siberia]] (1918-1922) during which they fought against [[Communism|Communists]] as allies. This operation that took place within the general framework of a larger plan of intervention by the [[Western Powers|Western powers]] and Japan against the Red Army during the [[Russian Civil War]].
 In the meantime, in 1920, pilots [[Guido Masiero]] and [[Arturo Ferrarin]], together with their engine drivers Roberto Maretto and Gino Capannini, successfully completed the '[[Rome-Tokyo Raid]]',<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-02-23|title=Il raid Roma Tokio del 1920, Schede tecniche aerei militari italiani e storia degli aviatori|url=http://www.alieuomini.it/pagine/dettaglio/crociere_primati,6/il_raid_roma_tokio_del,18.html|access-date=2021-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223092437/http://www.alieuomini.it/pagine/dettaglio/crociere_primati,6/il_raid_roma_tokio_del,18.html|archive-date=2014-02-23}}</ref> which writers [[Gabriele D'Annunzio]] and [[Harukichi Shimoi]] had called for, and which represented the first air link between Europe and Japan.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-06-14|title=Amicizia Italo-Giapponese - articolo dalla rivista Sapere|url=http://jappone.com/cultura/amicizia_italo-giapponese.html|access-date=2021-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614122949/http://jappone.com/cultura/amicizia_italo-giapponese.html|archive-date=2007-06-14}}</ref>
-=== Second World War ===
+==== Second World War ====
+Dissatisfaction with the post-World War I order led to the rise of authoritarian regimes in Italy and Japan. Both countries pursued aggressive foreign policies in the 1930s, ultimately culminating in the withdrawl of Italy and Japan from the [[League of Nations]] in 1933 and 1937, respectively. Italy and Japan established important political and diplomatic contacts that resulted in various political and economic agreements, sealed by the Italian economic mission to [[Nagasaki]] in 1938. Relations between the two countries were facilitated by Italy's recognition of Japanese rule in [[Manchukuo|Manchuria]] and Japan's recognition of Italian rule in [[Italian East Africa|East Africa]], the latter of which allowed the opening of important trade routes between Japan and the new Italian colonies.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Del Boca |first=Angelo |title=Gli italiani in Africa Orientale - 3. La caduta dell'Impero |publisher=Editori Laterza |year=1986 |isbn=9788842028109}}</ref> The alliance between Italy and Japan was formalized by the signing of the [[Tripartite Pact]], which also included [[Nazi Germany|Germany]], on September 27, 1940 in [[Berlin]].
-In 1940, Italy and Japan were both members of the [[Axis Powers]] after signing the [[Tripartite Pact]] ([[World War II]]). The situation after the end of the First World War and the dissatisfaction with the [[Treaty of Versailles]] of 1919 led Italy to join the [[Anti-Comintern Pact]] in 1937 (an agreement made a year earlier between Japan and [[Nazi Germany]] to counter the work of the Communist International), which gave rise to the tripartite alliance that would be formalized on 27 September 1940 in [[Berlin]].
+As leading members of the [[Axis powers]], Italy and Japan took part in World War II against the [[Allies of World War II|Allied powers]]. Relations between Italy and Japan reached a high point on December 11, 1941, when Italy [[Italian declaration of war on the United States|declared war on the United States]] in solidarity with Japan following its [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] four days earlier. However, relations between Italy and Japan came to a halt on September 3, 1943 with the signing of the [[Armistice of Cassibile|Cassibile armistice]]. The [[Italian concession of Tianjin]] in [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|China]] was subsequently occupied by the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] without fighting. The Italian soldiers that pledged allegiance to [[Benito Mussolini]] and the new [[Italian Social Republic]] had their weapons returned and were incorporated into the Japanese armed forces for the duration of the war.<ref name=WWIIQ>Enrico Cernuschi and Vincent P. O'Hara (2006), "Italy and the Pacific War", ''World War II Quarterly'' '''3'''(1): 14–19.</ref> Japan maintained political and economic relations with the Social Republic until 1945, though relations were strained by differences in war aims during the final years of the conflict.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Viganò|first=Marino|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/27079236|title=Il Ministero degli affari esteri e le relazioni internazionali della Repubblica sociale italiana (1943-1945)|date=1991|publisher=Jaca Book|isbn=88-16-95081-1|edition=1. ed. italiana|location=Milano|oclc=27079236}}</ref> After the war, 158 Italian nationals were deported from Japan.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Watt |first1=Lori |title=When Empire Comes Home: Repatriation and Reintegration in Postwar Japan |year=2010 |publisher=Harvard University Asia Center |isbn=978-0-674-05598-8|page=93}}</ref>
-In the period between these two agreements, Japan and Italy established important political and diplomatic contacts that resulted in various trade and economic agreements, sealed by the Italian economic mission to [[Nagasaki]] in 1938. Relations between the two countries were facilitated by Japan's recognition of Italy's sovereignty over [[East Africa]], which allowed the opening of important trade routes between the latter and the new Italian colonies.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Del Boca|first=Angelo|title=Gli italiani in Africa Orientale - 3. La caduta dell'Impero|publisher=Editori Laterza|year=1986|isbn=9788842028109}}</ref> In 1923, [[Keizo Shibusawa|Keizō Shibusawa]], who in the following years would become first governor of the Bank of Japan and then Minister of Finance, visited Italy on one of his business trips, staying in Rome, Florence and Milan.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Christy|first=Alan S.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/875894644|title=A discipline on foot : inventing Japanese native ethnography, 1910-1945|date=2012|isbn=978-1-4422-1649-5|location=Lanham, MD|oclc=875894644}}</ref>
+=== Relations from 1945 to the present day ===
-Subsequently, other states also joined the coalition by adhering to the [[Tripartite Pact]] (mainly nations dissatisfied with the geopolitical order created after the First World War), forming the so-called [[Axis powers]], which took part in the Second World War in opposition to the Allied countries. However, with the signing of the [[Armistice of Cassibile|Cassibile armistice]] in 1943, relations between Japan and Italy came to an abrupt halt: the Italians who were engaged in military operations in Japan at the time were interned and imprisoned in various prison camps scattered throughout the country.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Conciatori|first=Mauro|date=1990|title=1943: la diplomazia italiana dopo l'8 settembre. I diplomatici italiani di fronte alle conseguenze dell'annuncio dell'armistizio|url=http://baldi.diplomacy.edu/diplo/texts/conciatori1.pdf|journal=Storia delle Relazioni Internazionali|volume=year VI, n. 2|via=Leo S. Olshiki Editore}}</ref> The same fate befell scholars and intellectuals of the time, such as the Florentine orientalist [[Fosco Maraini]]. The [[Empire of Japan|Japanese Empire]] maintained political and economic relations with the [[Italian Social Republic]] for the whole duration of the latter (1943-1945), although relations between the two states were never idyllic due to basic differences in war aims during the final years of the conflict.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Viganò|first=Marino|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/27079236|title=Il Ministero degli affari esteri e le relazioni internazionali della Repubblica sociale italiana (1943-1945)|date=1991|publisher=Jaca Book|isbn=88-16-95081-1|edition=1. ed. italiana|location=Milano|oclc=27079236}}</ref> After the conclusion of the war, 158 Italian nationals were deported from Japan.
+Italy and Japan, having both suffered defeat in World War II, resumed cooperation during the [[Cold War]] after a period of reconstruction and became integral parts of the so-called [[Western Bloc|Western bloc]] (led by the United States), which for about half a century was politically and ideologically opposed to the Eastern bloc (led by the [[Soviet Union]] and comprising states adhering to the [[Warsaw Pact]]).
-<ref>{{cite book |last1=Watt |first1=Lori |title=When Empire Comes Home: Repatriation and Reintegration in Postwar Japan |year=2010 |publisher=Harvard University Asia Center |isbn=978-0-674-05598-8|page=93}}</ref>
-== Relations from 1945 to the present day ==
-[[File:20230110italy 8.jpg|thumb|right|Italian Prime Minister [[Giorgia Meloni]] and Japanese Prime Minister [[Fumio Kishida]] at the [[Chigi Palace]]]]
-During the [[Cold War]], Japan and Italy, both nations were defeated in the Second World War. Japan and Italy resumed cooperation and became part of the so-called [[Western Bloc|Western bloc]] (led by the [[United States|United States of America]]), which for about half a century was politically and ideologically opposed to the Eastern bloc ([[Soviet Union]], [[Warsaw Pact]] allies and friendly countries).
-At the same time, both countries experienced a period of strong economic growth, which enabled them to recover from the disastrous situation of the years immediately following the end of the war. Italy, thanks to its role as a link between [[Western Europe]], the [[Balkans|Balkan Peninsula]], [[Central Europe]] and [[North Africa]], benefited from substantial aid from the [[Marshall Plan]] from 1947 onwards.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hogan|first=Michael J.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/15018954|title=The Marshall Plan : America, Britain, and the reconstruction of Western Europe, 1947-1952|date=1987|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=0-521-25140-0|location=Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]|oclc=15018954}}</ref> This, combined with low labour costs, led to a great expansion of the country's economy in the 1950s and 1960s.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/889813657|title=Economic growth in Europe since 1945|date=1996|others=N. F. R. Crafts, Gianni Toniolo|isbn=978-1-316-17803-4|location=Cambridge|oclc=889813657}}</ref> Similarly, Japan, thanks to the assistance of the United States of America and the concomitance of some favourable factors (such as the affordable [[price of oil]], the intervention of the Japanese government to support Japanese enterprises and the determination of the people to get out of the deficit situation quickly), was able to recover quickly and become the third economic power in the world already in the 1960s. Thus, from predominantly rural countries, Italy and Japan found themselves becoming major industrial powers, and although the sectors in which they succeeded differed considerably from one another (think of Made in Italy in Italy and electronic products in Japan), both managed to establish themselves in a similar way in the automotive sector. It was precisely the success of the [[Made in Italy]] brand in the 1990s that led to a considerable increase in Japanese appreciation of Italian culture and tradition. However, after about thirty years of growth, both countries experienced a long phase of economic recession, aggravated by the common phenomenon of an ageing population, which in turn led to an explosion of public debt and a loss of productivity and competitiveness in the production systems of the two nations.{{cn}}
 In 2002, the then President of the Italian Republic [[Carlo Azeglio Ciampi]] described relations between the two countries as being based on "an ancient and firm friendship, nourished by a continuous tradition of exchange and cooperation". In 2009, the Japanese government donated more than €6 million to Italy for the project of assistance and reconstruction of the city of [[L'Aquila]], hit by an [[2009 L'Aquila earthquake|earthquake]] in April of that year. Similarly, Italy was at the forefront of providing humanitarian aid to Japan following the [[Tōhoku region|Tōhoku]] [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami|earthquake and tidal wave]] in 2011, as well as engaging in solidarity initiatives in the following years, mainly from the private sector. In 2014, Italian Prime Minister [[Matteo Renzi]] described relations with Japan as "absolutely important and crucial".<ref>{{Cite web|last=system|date=2020-12-20|title=Italia-Giappone: Renzi incontra Abe, nostre relazioni cruciali|url=https://www.adnkronos.com/italia-giappone-renzi-incontra-abe-nostre-relazioni-cruciali_1R1YlRSzxqKoQ7vvDdx9kX|access-date=2021-09-24|website=Adnkronos}}</ref>
+==High level visits==
-In Italy, events dedicated to Japanese culture are very successful, especially those focused on mass culture ([[anime]], [[manga]], cinematography) and those dedicated to [[Japanese cuisine|Japanese gastronomy]], [[Japanese art|art]] and [[Culture of Japan|tradition]].
+{{Section-stub|date=August 2024}}
+[[File:20230110italy 8.jpg|thumb|right|Italian Prime Minister [[Giorgia Meloni]] and Japanese Prime Minister [[Fumio Kishida]] at the [[Chigi Palace]]]]
+On 10 January 2023, Japanese Prime Minister [[Fumio Kishida]] visited Italian Prime Minister [[Giorgia Meloni]] in Rome.<ref>{{cite news |author= |agency= |title=Italian, Japanese leaders agree to form "strategic partnership" |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/italian-japanese-leaders-agree-form-strategic-partnership-2023-01-10/ |quote= |newspaper=[[Reuters]] |date=2023-01-11 |access-date=2024-05-14 }}</ref>
-On 8 November 2023, [[Yōko Kamikawa]], [[Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan]], held informal talks with Mr. [[Antonio Tajani]], Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on the margins of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in [[Tokyo]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amt |first=Auswärtiges |title=Close partners in times of crisis: G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tokyo |url=https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolitik/g7-foreign-ministers-meeting-tokyo/2629674 |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=German Federal Foreign Office |language=en}}</ref>
+On 8 November 2023, [[Yōko Kamikawa]], [[Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan]], held informal talks with [[Antonio Tajani]], Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on the margins of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in [[Tokyo]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amt |first=Auswärtiges |title=Close partners in times of crisis: G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tokyo |url=https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolitik/g7-foreign-ministers-meeting-tokyo/2629674 |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=German Federal Foreign Office |language=en}}</ref>
+==Diaspora==
+The number of Japanese nationals residing in Italy is 14,937 as of 2019. The number of Italian nationals residing in Japan is 4,695 as of 2020.<ref name="mofa">{{cite web |url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/europe/italy/data.html |title=Japan-Italy Relations |date=2021-11-04 |accessdate=2024-05-14 |quote= |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan }}</ref>
+==Resident diplomatic missions==
+[[File:The embassy of Italy in Tokyo Japan.jpg|thumb|Embassy of Italy in Tokyo]]
+[[File:Sallustiano - v Q Sella villino di Rudinì 1280046.JPG|thumb|Embassy of Japan in Rome]]
+* Italy has an embassy in [[Tokyo]] and a consulate-general in [[Osaka]].
+* Japan has an embassy in [[Rome]] and a consulate-general in [[Milan]].
 ==See also==
-* [[List of ambassadors of Japan to Italy]]
 * [[Foreign relations of Italy]]
 * [[Foreign relations of Japan]]
+* [[Italians in Japan]]
+* [[List of ambassadors of Japan to Italy]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 81: / Line 80: @@
 ==External links==
-* [http://www.ice.gov.it/paesi/asia/giappone/upload/165/Presenza%20Italiana%20in%20Giappone%202010%20web.pdf Presenza Italiana in Giappone 2010]" ({{lang-ja|日本におけるイタリア企業便覧 2010年版}}; [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903095018/http://www.ice.gov.it/paesi/asia/giappone/upload/165/Presenza%20Italiana%20in%20Giappone%202010%20web.pdf Archive]). Italian Trade Commission.
+* [http://www.ice.gov.it/paesi/asia/giappone/upload/165/Presenza%20Italiana%20in%20Giappone%202010%20web.pdf Presenza Italiana in Giappone 2010]" ({{langx|ja|日本におけるイタリア企業便覧 2010年版}}; [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903095018/http://www.ice.gov.it/paesi/asia/giappone/upload/165/Presenza%20Italiana%20in%20Giappone%202010%20web.pdf Archive]). Italian Trade Commission.
 {{Foreign relations of Italy}}