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Address by the Ambassador of Italy, Gianluigi Benedetti, on the occasion of “Leonardo Helicopters Japan Seminar 2024” (Tokyo, October 31, 2024)

Dear guests, it is a great pleasure for me to be here tonight, officially opening the reception organized on the occasion of “Leonardo Helicopters Japan Seminar 2024”.

 

Firstly, allow me to thank Daniele Alzetta, Representative of Leonardo Helicopters in Japan, and all his team for the invitation and for this two-day event dedicated to Leonardo Helicopters’ latest products and activities.

 

I am particularly glad to see tonight so many guests representing Japanese companies and Institutions, but also media and TVs. Their participation tonight testifies the strong recognition that Leonardo Helicopters has gained in Japan and the tight bonds that has built in this country since its arrival 40 years ago.

 

The enthusiasm for this seminar does not surprise me: Leonardo Helicopters is a true gem among Italian industrial excellences. World-wide recognized as a leading company in the design and manufacturing of aircrafts for transport, security, medical and rescue services, and defense, Leonardo helicopters fly in more than 150 countries where Leonardo also provide technical assistance, training services and a wide range of solutions, such as remotely piloted vehicles and tiltrotors.

 

Innovation, efficiency and safety are key-factors of Leonardo helicopters brilliant success story and are the drivers of its constant research for the most innovative engineering solutions and the development of cutting-edge technologies.

 

Here in Japan Leonardo Helicopters presence is well rooted and significantly increasing. More than 200 aircrafts have been flying over the country since 1985. About 80% of these helicopters are employed for public utility roles and public service operations, serving Japanese authorities and population, while the remaining 20% are used for public and commercial transportation as well as TVs and media activities.

 

I am very proud to stress that Japan Maritime Self Defense Forces, Japan Coast Guard and Japan National Police Agency currently deploy Leonardo aircrafts for Emergency Medical Services, search-and-rescue activities, firefighting, patrolling missions and intervention in case of natural disasters.

 

I am also very glad to say that the strong development of the partnership between Leonardo Helicopters and the Japanese Authorities over the course of the last decade reflects the positive trend of the cooperation between our two Countries.

 

This trend has been reinforced in January 2023 with the announcement of the Strategic Partnership between Italy and Japan that opened a new chapter in the history of our long-standing friendly relations.

 

A shin-jidai – as I like to call it – that will be characterized by deeper political dialogue, stronger defense cooperation, more dynamic industrial and commercial partnerships, and new joint scientific projects and cultural activities.

 

In the framework of the Strategic Partnership, the Action Plan that our Prime Ministers adopted in June has highlighted the areas where we will work together to address the global challenges facing our countries and our economies and to enhance our bilateral collaboration in a broad range of strategic sectors.

 

This higher level of cooperation has been confirmed by the closer coordination between our Countries in the G7 and G20 frameworks, as well as by the initiatives and activities that we carried out in the past two years.

 

Among these, I want to stress the relaunch of the Italy Japan Business Group, a platform to promote and facilitate the networking and partnerships among our companies co-chaired by Leonardo and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the conclusion of the agreements to advance the GCAP program for the development, with the United Kingdom, of a new generation fighter jet. Once again, Leonardo is the Italian partner also in this important program.

 

Finally, Italy and Japan’s determination to work together as key partners to enhance our common security and ensure global stability was also confirmed this year by the Indo-Pacific campaign of the Cavour Carrier Strike Group and the joint exercises carried out with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Forces in August.

 

Let me conclude by making a toast to the continuous success of Leonardo Helicopters in Japan, to your personal health and prosperity, and to the perpetual friendship between Italy and Japan and between our peoples.

 

Campai!