Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to extend my warmest welcome to all of you here at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador in Japan.
Together with my wife Sabina, I am very happy to welcome you to this special house-museum, a place like no other in Tokyo where the architecture, the furnishing, and an invaluable collection of abstract art pieces from last century coexist in harmony with the timeless charm of the Japanese garden from the Edo period.
This is the perfect place for institutional gatherings between our countries: here we celebrate and value the outstanding products of our Craftsmanship, the greatness of our respective cultural heritages and the achievements of our cooperation.
Tonight, we are very proud to host the signing ceremony of a new Agreement between MERMEC Japan and Sumitomo Corporation for the monitoring system of the Osaka Metro.
Today’s is only the latest success of the longstanding relationship between MERMEC – an Italian group whose technology and innovation capabilities are globally renowned – and Japan, whose railway sector is a global reference.
Over the last decades, MERMEC succeeded in fostering mutual trust with many corporations: from Hitachi to JR, from Mitsubishi Electric to Sumitomo corporation. Building on these successful partnerships, the group is now working together with Japanese counterparts to expand its presence in other Asian countries as well as in the Pacific region: from Singapore to Hong Kong, from South Korea to Australia, including the Philippines.
This is the essence of the political vision enshrined in the Italy-Japan Strategic Partnership announced by our Prime Ministers in 2023: to foster mutual collaborations among Italian and Japanese companies and increase the industrial and technological partnerships among them.
MERMEC has become a fully recognized example of Italian excellence in this part of the world. Its standing is testified not only by the invitation extended to the Apulian company to present its activities at the G7 Ministerial Meeting in Ise-Shima in June 2023, but also by its growing role in promoting scientific and technological cooperation with Japanese universities – exemplified by the recent agreement signed with the University of Tokyo.
Some of its best capabilities and technological skills will also be show cased to this year Mass-Trans Innovation Japan, where MERMEC, together with other Italian companies, is present, ready and open to expand its network of collaborations with Japanese companies.
For all this reasons, and in light of the active role of the group within the Italy-Japan Business Group as a valued member, we are always proud to present this business case as a success story of how an Italian company should approach and succeed in the Japanese market.
It is a partner with whom we work effectively and constructively, with whom we engage in constant dialogue, and which actively contributes to initiatives aimed at strengthening our strategic partnership within the framework of growth diplomacy.
We believe that due to the forward-looking leadership of its founder, Vito Pertosa, MERMEC will succeed in expanding its presence from the railway to other business sectors, such as space economy.
Let me conclude by saying that the results we celebrate today offer me an opportunity to express a wish to MERMEC, Sumitomo Corporation and to all the companies and institutions who are here today: let the future be rich with new opportunities, prosperity and success, both in Italy and in Japan.
I will now invite to the podium the President of JETRO, Susumu KATAOKA, for his remarks.
Thank you very much and I hope you may enjoy the rest of the evening!