Good afternoon everyone, it is a great pleasure to welcome you here at the Residence of the Ambassador of Italy in Tokyo, a remarkable house-museum from the mid-60s surrounded by an historical Japanese samurai garden, dating back to the Edo-period.
It is with particular pleasure that I welcome and thank Andrea Bonomi for his presence today. As President of Investindustrial, one of Europe’s leading independent investment groups, he is a prominent figure in the Italian and international business and financial community.
President Bonomi’s visit to Tokyo comes at a particularly favorable time, amid a strong acceleration and intensification of the relations between Italy and Japan in all sectors.
This trend is by no means a coincidence. In fact, this is the outcome of a process that began in January 2023, when the Prime Ministers of Italy and Japan decided to elevate our bilateral relations to a “Strategic Partnership” and a year later approved an Action Plan setting the objectives of our cooperation until 2027. The Italian Export Plan for Asia launched this year by Minister Tajani further reinforced the Action Plan.
While the Action Plan encompasses all areas of cooperation, I repeatedly underlined that a significant contribution to the overall growth of our bilateral relations will depend on our mutual capacity to increase industrial cooperation and direct investment, especially in advanced sectors and among quality leading mid-market companies.
Deeper industrial integration will in fact have a big impact on our economic relations, enabling a fruitful exchange of technology and talented human resources, as well as greater trade flows. Italian exports of intermediate and industrial goods, which today remain limited compared to consumer goods, will grow and so will Japanese exports, ultimately leading to a more balanced trade relationship in a genuine “win-win” perspective.
In recent years, stock and flows of direct investment between Japan and Italy have increased in both directions with interesting and promising examples of acquisitions and business expansion plans.
However, let me say it, at a slower pace compared to those towards other countries and below the potential of our respective industrial systems and financial possibilities. I am therefore absolutely convinced that there is ample room for improvement.
In the current geopolitical scenario, our best companies look at Japan with a new and stronger interest, also attracted by Japan’s progressive opening to international investments and unusual opportunities of acquisitions of Japanese companies.
On the other hand, Italy is today, more than ever, a country where it is advantageous to invest. The stability of the current Government, the existing financial incentives and tax benefits, the skilled work force and the improved technological ecosystem have undoubtedly strengthened our country’s investment attractiveness internationally, making Italy an excellent destination also for the large Japanese corporate assets that are currently sitting idle in bank accounts.
In this context, I am sure that the role of major international players, such as Investindustrial, will be decisive in further promoting the expansion of our companies in Japan and in assisting Japanese investors to find co-investment opportunities in Italy and Europe. I am therefore very interested, as you are, to hear Andrea Bonomi’s presentation of their objectives and plans in Japan.
Let me conclude by thanking again Andrea Bonomi for his presence as well as Ambassador Quito Terracciano, a colleague and a close friend, Dr. Emanuela Cisini and our friends at Nomura for their valuable contribution and cooperation in organizing this event.
I am now pleased to give the floor to Andrea Bonomi. Grazie a tutti.