The G7 Hiroshima Summit: Respond to the Multiple Crises that the World is Facing

Japan's Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio hosts the Group of Seven advanced industrial nations for the G7 Hiroshima Summit from May 19-21. Leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States will join him in Hiroshima to discuss a number of challenges to peace and prosperity facing the global order while consulting with invited guests. Prime Minister Kishida shares his vision for the summit in the following contributed article.

KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan (©Prime Ministers Office)

The international community is at a historic crossroads, as Russia's aggression against Ukraine has shaken the very foundation of the international order. Now the world is facing multiple crises, including climate crisis, pandemic, and geopolitical crisis.

At the upcoming G7 Hiroshima Summit, I am determined to respond to such multiple crises in the strong unity with other G7 leaders.

At the G7 Hiroshima Summit, I would like to deepen discussions based on the following two perspectives.

Two Perspectives

The first is to demonstrate the G7's strong determination to uphold the free and open international order based on the rule of law. Vulnerable countries are in greatest need of "the rule of law"; and a state in which the principles of the UN Charter, such as respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the peaceful resolution of disputes and the non-use of force are upheld, is the important premise on which "freedom" is enjoyed in the international community. We need to firmly reject any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or the threat to use nuclear weapons, as Russia has done, or the use of nuclear weapons.

The second is to strengthen the G7's outreach to the so-called "Global South".

Russia's aggression has caused major harm to people's lives around the world, particularly in developing countries. Building trust with these countries requires that we intensify our efforts to listen to their concerns and address them. With that in mind, I have invited the leaders of eight partner countries, mostly from those called the "Global South," and the heads of seven international organizations to the G7 Hiroshima Summit for outreach sessions.

Based on these two perspectives, at the G7 Hiroshima Summit, we will address a wide range of issues, including the global economy; energy and food security; regional affairs including Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific; nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation; economic resilience and economic security; climate change; health; and development.

Ukraine

Ukraine, of course, will be a major focus. It is of utmost importance that the G7 will continue to demonstrate strong unity in responding to Russia's aggression.

During my trip to Ukraine on March 21, I visited the city of Bucha where I saw the results of Russia's atrocities with my own eyes. At our bilateral meeting, I conveyed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Japan would continue strict sanctions against Russia and strong support for Ukraine, and assured him of the G7's unwavering unity in upholding the international order based on the rule of law as the G7 presidency.

I also invited President Zelenskyy to participate online in the G7 Hiroshima Summit. The G7 will once again strongly urge Russia to immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine, and will reaffirm continued implementation of strict sanctions against Russia, as well as strong support to Ukraine. I am also determined to appeal that Russia's irresponsible nuclear rhetoric is totally unacceptable.

'Free and Open Indo-Pacific'

This Summit in Japan, the only Asian country in the G7, is also an opportunity to focus on the Indo-Pacific. Our region is driving global growth, but it faces various security and economic challenges. I look forward to in-depth discussions and to reaffirming the G7's coordination to realize a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)." Robust discussion is needed to align G7 members on regional issues, including those related to East Asia such as China and North Korea.

Japan's goal is to lead the international community in the direction of cooperation rather than division and confrontation and to enhance cooperation to realize the FOIP vision. To that end, I recently announced a new plan for FOIP when I visited India. Among the initiatives that I am promoting is the mobilization of private finance for sustainable development, through the introduction of new tools for Official Development Assistance (ODA) that mobilize both public and private finance.

*Hiroshima Peace Memorial. (© Sankei by Minoru Nasu.)*

World Peace

There is no better place to express our commitment to world peace than Hiroshima.

At the G7 Hiroshima Summit, we would like to send a strong message that the 77-year record of non-use of nuclear weapons since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must not be ignored.

To realize the ideal of a world without nuclear weapons, we must foster international momentum by persistently promoting realistic and practical efforts.

Economy and Environment

The G7 must also take a lead in providing solutions to achieve sustainable growth. That is especially true at a time of uncertainty caused by geopolitical risks, inflation and other challenges.

Economic resilience and economic security are important parts of the agenda, and at the Hiroshima Summit they will be squarely discussed for the first time in the history of G7 summit meetings. As the world faces crises such as the pandemic and Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the importance of economic security, including access to critical resources, is becoming clearer.

While the importance of ensuring energy security is reaffirmed in the face of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the goal to achieve GHG emission net-zero by 2050 remains unchanged. It is essential to show the various pathways toward decarbonization that ensures energy security, recognizing the need to utilize all appropriate energy sources and technologies as well as the geopolitical risks.

Other Important Priorities

Other important issues that have to be addressed at the Summit include food, health, development, mainstreaming gender, and improving the governance of digital technology, which continues to evolve as seen in the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI).

As the international community is facing the multiple crises, the G7 Hiroshima Summit is an opportunity to express G7 leaders' determination to defend the free and open international order based on the rule of law, and to offer solutions to ensure a better future for everyone in close cooperation with the countries called the "Global South" and other partners. I, as chair of the G7 Hiroshima Summit, am determined to exert leadership in that effort.　

(Read the Prime Minister's message in Japanese.)

Author: KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan