Italy has "solid" trade ties with Japan and exported 7.7 billion worth of good to the "key" country last year, foreign undersecretary Manlio Di Stafano tweeted on Monday from a webinar that 1,449 companies registered to attend.
"Japan is a key country with which we have solid trade relations. In 2019 (the value of) exports from Italy to Japan amounted to 7.7 billion euros," read Di Manlio's tweet.
"We are counting on innovation, high technology and sustainability," the tweet added.
In an address to Monday's webinar, Di Stefano outlined the recent financial instruments unveiled by the Italian government to relaunch Italian products internationally in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The entry into force of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union propelled growth in exports of 19.7% in 2019, Di Manlio said in his address.
Italy is eager to further boost its ties with Japan - the world's third largest economy and "a strategic partner", Di Manlio stated.
"In addition to the classic 3Fs (Food, Fashion, Furniture) with Japan, we will focus on sectors such as high technology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, robotics, renewable energy, aerospace and medical technologies applied to the ageing society," Di Manlio said.
Italy's ambassador to Japan Giorgio Starace, Italian Trade and Investment Agency president Carlo Maria Ferro, and Bank of Italy representative in Japan Angelo Cicogna, were also among speakers at the webinar, the statement said.
