Japan PM Ishiba to attend G7, eyes summit with Trump over tariffs

Kyodo News

a day ago

KYODO NEWS - 7 hours ago - 01:01 | All, World, Japan
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba embarked on a four-day trip to Canada on Sunday to attend the first in-person summit of leaders from the Group of Seven nations since Donald Trump's return to the U.S. presidency.
The two-day gathering starting Monday comes amid a slew of challenges, both bilateral and global, ranging from the repercussions of Trump's tariff policy, symbolic of his "America First" agenda, to a flareup in tensions following Israel's attack on Iran just days before the summit.
"It is of utmost importance that the G7 will not waver in its unity to tackle various issues," Ishiba told reporters before departing for Canada.
As the leader of the only Asian member of the G7, Ishiba said he will talk about the situation in the Indo-Pacific and stress the role of the group, which marks this year a half-century since its inception, in maintaining peace and stability "be it in Ukraine, the Middle East or Asia."
China, not a G7 member, has been expanding its influence and increasing its assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
For Ishiba, who is participating in his first face-to-face G7 summit, an envisioned meeting with Trump will be one of the highlights of the visit as the longtime allies have been advancing ministerial tariff negotiations to reach a deal.
The Ishiba-Trump summit is expected to grab attention in Japan. Higher U.S. tariffs on cars and auto parts as well as steel and aluminum are threatening to hurt the export-driven economy as a nationwide House of Councillors election is set for July 20, a crucial test for a prime minister facing a public hit by persisting inflation.
Japan has been urging the United States to rethink its tariff measures through several rounds of ministerial negotiations, but tangible results have yet to be seen. In the run-up to his meeting with Trump, Ishiba has indicated that Japan will not rush to make a deal at the expense of its national interests.
In a reversal of his previous stance, Trump effectively approved the takeover of United States Steel Corp. by Nippon Steel Corp., though the U.S. government will hold a "golden share" giving it veto power over important management decisions.
"It's a symbolic deal in the sense that it will boost bilateral economic relations and partnership," Ishiba said of the steel deal, expressing his intention to make sure it can prove effective in building stronger supply chains.
At the G7, the leaders will cover a range of topics, from uncertainty over global growth and trade disputes stemming from Trump's tariff policy to Russia's war on Ukraine, and most likely the situation in the Middle East.
The leaders are also expected to discuss ways to make supply chains more resilient and better use new technologies such as artificial intelligence.
In what would be a rare move by a group known for its unity, the G7, under the rotating presidency of Canada, is unlikely to issue a joint declaration to wrap up their discussions but release documents on specific points, according to sources familiar with the planning.
On the fringes of the G7 summit, Ishiba is expected to explore one-on-one talks with leaders such as South Korea's new President Lee Jae Myung and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who are also expected to attend part of the multilateral meeting as non-members of the G7.
The G7 consists of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union.
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