Sanae Takaichi planned to be in London on June 14, Rome on June 15 and Evian, France, for the Group of Seven summit on June 15-17. The Japanese prime minister’s trip, reported on June 3, 2026, was set to run from June 13 through June 18 and would take in Britain, Italy and France.
It would be her first visit to Europe since she took office in October 2025.
The meetings
Keir Starmer was due to receive her in London on June 14. Giorgia Meloni was next, in Rome the following day. Officials said Tokyo wanted to press one message with both: “the security of the Euro-Atlantic region and that of the Indo-Pacific region are inseparable.”
A fighter jet ties the three countries together. Japan, Britain and Italy are building a next-generation aircraft meant to enter service in the mid-2030s, according to Reuters. The G7 leaders were expected to “agree to steadily advance their countries’ joint development” of it, per the Jiji report.
At Evian the G7 agenda was to include artificial intelligence governance, critical mineral supply chains, Iran, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
An uncertain start
The plan had been in flux for weeks. On May 13, Reuters, citing a report by NTV, said Takaichi intended to visit Britain and Italy before the G7. The British leg, it said, “remains fluid depending on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s political future.” Starmer was under pressure to resign after his party’s heavy defeat in local elections, Jiji noted in mid-May.
By June 13, the uncertainty was gone. Takaichi left Japan that day for her first European trip as prime minister. In Britain and Italy she was to meet Starmer and Meloni on East Asia, the Middle East and Ukraine, and on cooperation in emerging technologies and supply chain resilience.
Sources
- Takaichi Eyes Visit to Britain, Italy, France from June 13 (Jiji Press via nippon.com / Adnkronos)
- Japan PM Takaichi to visit UK and Italy in June, NTV reports (Reuters)
- Japan PM heads to Europe for G7 Summit (Social News XYZ)
