Italy and Japan establish working group for long-span bridge projects

Italy and Japan have held their first meeting of a joint working group focused on long-span bridges. The initiative follows a memorandum of understanding signed in Tokyo in July 2025 and aims to establish the two nations as global leaders in the construction, management, and maintenance of large-scale bridge infrastructure.

A central focus of the discussions is the Messina Strait Bridge project. Italian Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Edoardo Rixi stated that the project is a strategic priority for the Italian government, with the goal of completing the authorization phase to move into the executive phase by the end of 2026.

The Japanese delegation, led by Deputy Minister Masamichi Hashimoto, expressed strong interest in the project and a willingness to share technical expertise gained from major works such as the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge. The collaboration seeks to combine Japanese experience in large suspension bridges with Italian engineering know-how.