Finmeccanica: Italy-Japan collaboration in space

(AGI) Rome, June 21 - Speaking at a seminar on Italian-Japanese relations in the space sector, the Head of the Space Sector at Italian aerospace company Leonardo-Finmeccanica, Luigi Pasquali, stated that "there's a strong desire to collaborate between the two governments and we intend to continue building up a strong industrial framework". "The 'Space Economy' is in and of itself an economic development concept," he affirmed at the seminar on Tuesday, organised by the Italian Society for International Organization (SIOI) and Italian Space Agency (ASI). Mr Pasquali added that there is already a strong collaboration between Italy and Japan in the helicopter sector and that "we'll proceed along this path in the cyber-security sector too in view of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020". Collaboration with other countries and Italy in particular "is indispensable", affirmed the head of Japan's space agency, Naori Okomura. "The fields of research and exploration would be impossible ventures for a single country; close cooperation is necessary," he added. According to Franco Frattini, former Italian foreign minister and president of SIOI, investing in the space sector "has acquired strategic importance in international relations too". "Consider that terrestrial observation can be used to monitor migrations, control crisis or disaster areas, or even search for terrorists. It's a sector that younger generations have also been investing in for years - including through the Master's in Space Policy and Institutions organised by SIOI and ASI - as they view space as an opportunity for growth and employment in large companies and specialised institutions." (AGI). .