Japan Pm Kishida Wants G7 Hiroshima Summit To Signal Commitment To Peace
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says he wants next year's Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima to show to the world the group's commitment to protecting peace.
In an interview with NHK, Kishida said peace will be a major issue at the summit in May. He said the G7 leaders will confirm that any aggression, threats or use of nuclear weapons against other countries, or acts that undermine the international order cannot be tolerated. He added that the G7 will signal to the world from the atomic-bombed city its firm resolve to protect peace.
Kishida also said he wants to lead discussions on climate change, energy and other global issues.
He noted that Japan is the only Asian member of the G7. He said he wants to use the summit to consider ways to promote cooperation between the group and other Asian countries, as well as with developing nations in other parts of the world.
In August, a review conference for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons failed to adopt a final document due to opposition from Russia.
Kishida said that from a different viewpoint, no other country blocked the draft document. He said many countries regard it as fundamental when considering how to proceed with nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
The prime minister said that Japan's ideas and proposals for a world without nuclear weapons, laid out in the Hiroshima Action Plan, were included in the document.
He said he wants to press ahead with efforts for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, based on the document.