
ROME -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for deeper cooperation in the economy and defense in a Wednesday summit with Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte, eager to keep the country from leaning too far in favor of China.
"We will further strengthen Japan-Italy ties across a range of fields, including national security, defense, culture, trade and investment," Abe said at a joint news conference following their meeting. He last visited Italy two years ago, before Conte took office.