Birthday cake and selfies - Takaichi warmly welcomes Meloni in Tokyo
A video describing the visit of Giorgia Meloni to Tokyo, with a welcome from the Premier Sanae Takaichi in a fresh, intimate, and surprisingly informal way, went viral in social media, Agenzia Nova reported.
It begins with a selfie taken by the Prime Minister herself, continues with a toast in her honor during which Takaichi shocks everyone with a forceful "salute" (healthy greeting) pronounced in Italian, and then comes the most unexpected moment.
The entire Japanese delegation sings "Tanti auguri" (Happy Birthday), strictly in Italian, led by the Japanese Prime Minister who, smiling, improvises as choir director.
There's also the cake and candles, blown out amid laughter, applause, and a look of genuine surprise from the Italian leader.
▼Scenes from the Japan–Italy Summit Meeting and related events.pic.twitter.com/5AmDYh77Gq
— PM's Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) January 16, 2026
At the end, during the farewells, the atmosphere intensifies: in the final embrace, Meloni turns to Takaichi with words of support and personal closeness, assuring her of her support and reiterating that difficulties can be overcome together.
Earlier, it was reported that the approval rate for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet increased 1.1 percentage points to 61.0 pct in January from the previous month, a poll conducted by Jiji Press showed Thursday.
