The G7 Summit is a gathering of major developed countries, consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, and US, hosted by Japan this year. The summit will also include two representatives from the European Union and non-G7 leaders, such as Australia, Brazil, Comoros, Cook Islands, India, Indonesia, South Korea, and Vietnam. This move is aimed at expanding cooperation to a wider range of countries as the share of G7 countries in global economic activity has shrunk from 50% to 30% over the past four decades. The leaders will discuss a range of issues including economic policy, security, climate change, energy, and gender.
The summit will be held in Hiroshima, the site of the world’s first atomic attack near the end of World War II, and the hometown of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has stressed the importance of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation as a top priority. Kishida plans to take the leaders of a nuclear-weapon state to the Atomic Bomb Museum, which will be the first group visit by leaders of nuclear-armed countries. The G7 leaders are expected to condemn Russia’s war on Ukraine and pledge continued support for Ukraine, while also addressing Beijing’s growing threat to Taiwan and Western democracies’ dependence on China for their economies and supply chains.
To address the rise of the Global South, the G7 has asked these nations to develop closer ties to health, food, and infrastructure, with further assistance provided in terms of security. At a high-profile event alongside the summit, Kishida will meet with President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol to discuss close security cooperation, including strengthening nuclear deterrence. The summit also aims to mend relations between Japan and Korea, with the Hiroshima Memorial to the Korean A-bomb Victims erected as part of a confidence-building effort.