In today¡¯s turbulent world, two Group of Seven leaders are redefining security: Japan¡¯s Sanae Takaichi and Italy¡¯s Giorgia Meloni.

From the end of World War II until recently, both countries largely delegated their defense to the United States: Japan relied on the U.S. umbrella to project power and counter China while Italy, as a NATO member and one of its founding countries, was a strong U.S. ally, with Washington serving as the main provider of NATO security.

That era is over. In this context, Prime Minister Takaichi¡¯s upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Meloni during her official visit to Japan, scheduled for later this month, is not only a ceremonial event marking the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations, but also a strategic effort to strengthen bilateral ties and explore greater autonomy in security cooperation.