G7 Foreign Ministers meet in Japan to discuss Ukraine crisis, security issues

Asia-Pacific, Europe, News, US April 18, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Foreign Ministers of G7 nations, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK and U.S., as well as representatives for the European Union, met in Hiroshima, Japan, where they discussed support for Ukraine and vowed a tough stance on Russia, North Korea and China.

The meeting comes as a run-up to the annual G7 leaders meeting which will be hosted by Japan next month. The host of the meeting and the Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi opened the meeting by saying the international community was “at history’s turning point.”

Hayashi said stressed that the participants of the meeting should “demonstrate to the world the G7’s strong determination” to defend the “international order based on the rule of law.” He also urged the top diplomats to “firmly reject any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force.”

China, Russia, and North Korea remained the key topics of discussion during the meeting. The meeting comes at a crucial moment as world leaders are keenly observing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s efforts to resolve the issue.

According to some sources, the U.S. delegation plans to discuss ways to deepen support for Ukraine’s long-term defense and deterrence capabilities in order to improve Kyiv’s position for potential negotiations that could end the conflict on its terms.

Japan’s role as the only Asian member of the G7 and the host of this year’s G7 meeting, provides an opportunity to discuss coordinated policy for China. Some leaders of the G7 nations are growing closer to China, particularly France, and Germany.

In the wake of China’s increasing role in the global geopolitical landscape, top diplomats from the G7 countries discussed China’s interests that are intertwined with those of wealthy democracies in terms of global trade, finance, and climate efforts.

^{Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani (front left) and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi (front right) on a bullet train heading to Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, for a three-day Group of Seven Foreign Ministers’ meeting. (Image Credit: Japanese Foreign Ministry/via Reuters)}

The G7 foreign ministers’ meeting also discussed China’s recent military activities in the Taiwan Strait, bringing Beijing and Taipei a step closer to confrontation. Upon being asked by the report about whether the G7 would support Taiwan in the event of a conflict with China, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that “Our concern is to de-escalate.” She added that G7 countries sought to “promote cooperation based on fair rules around the world.”

North Korea remains a key area of worry for Japan and other neighbors in the region. Pyongyang’s increasing missile tests came under discussion during the meeting. Japanese foreign minister “expressed grave concern over North Korea’s launch of ballistic missiles with an unprecedented frequency and in unprecedented manners, including the launch in the previous week, and the G7 Foreign Ministers strongly condemned North Korea’s repeated launches of ballistic missiles,” according to the summary of the meeting.

*^{North Korean soldiers ahead of the launch of ballistic missiles on March 10, 2023. (Image Credit: KCNA/via Reuters)}*

According to the U.S. Department of State release, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the vital importance of the G7 and the ironclad U.S.-Japan Alliance in promoting peace, security, and prosperity globally.

U.S. Secretary Blinken also hailed Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi for “the recent progress on Japan-ROK bilateral relations”. The U.S. and Japanese officials also emphasized the importance of U.S.-Japan-ROK trilateral cooperation to maintain a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

In today’s @G7 Ministerial sessions, we discussed many challenges: from Russia’s war against Ukraine to advancing peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific to addressing our shared concerns across the Middle East and Central Asia. We are committed to solving these challenges. pic.twitter.com/jQspPIRe0S
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) April 17, 2023