Leaders from the world’s most powerful democracies gathered at the G7 summit in Hiroshima to address global issues such as Russian aggression, nuclear disarmament and rising tensions with authoritarian China. The summit began with a visit to a peace park to commemorate the victims of the atomic bomb explosion in 1945, and new sanctions against Russia were announced. The G7 countries plan to further isolate Russia and put greater pressure on the Kremlin to end its war effort in Ukraine. However, the effectiveness of sanctions is debatable, and the economic impact on the target country largely depends on how well it can evade them.
The G7 countries also focused on nuclear disarmament, motivated by Russia’s nuclear threats to Ukraine, North Korea’s missile tests and China’s expanding nuclear arsenal. Japan, in particular, emphasized nuclear disarmament as a major part of the summit, resonating with the city of Hiroshima’s anti-nuclear peace efforts.
The summit also addressed rising tensions with China, as fears grow over China’s increasing assertiveness and military build-up. There are concerns that China may attempt to take over Taiwan by force, sparking a wider conflict. In response, the G7 countries discussed efforts to deal with rising prices and their impact on economies around the world, particularly in developing countries.
With thousands of police deployed throughout the city, security in Hiroshima was tight. A small group of demonstrators gathered near the Atomic Bomb Dome monument to protest the G7 summit, but they were vastly outnumbered by police. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed leaders from Central Asian nations to a summit to discuss the global economy and measures to deal with rising prices.
The G7 includes Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and Italy, along with the European Union. Other countries, including Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, were also invited to the summit. The summit was marked by discussions on global issues and efforts to strengthen ties with countries outside the G7.