Press Conferences

Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs: I have an announcement at the outset.

Today, the 16th meeting of the SDGs Promotion Headquarters was held, with Prime Minister ISHIBA serving as Chief of the Headquarters and Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI and myself serving as Deputy Chief of the Headquarters.

Japan will be presenting on the progress of the SDGs at the United Nations this July. At today’s meeting, we decided on Japan’s report.

The international community faces significant challenges in achieving the SDGs by 2030 in the face of various complex crises. I believe these circumstances make it all the more important to conduct diplomacy of dialogue and harmony. From the perspective of maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law, Japan will continue to promote efforts toward achieving the SDGs in cooperation with the international community, based on the principle of “human security.”

That is all from me at the outset.

Yomiuri Shimbun, Kamimura: I would like to ask about the G7. This year marks 50 years since the first G7 Summit was held. How do you assess the role played by the G7 over the years? In particular, could you speak about the role that the G7, a group of non-authoritarian countries, has played in recent years in maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law?

Minister Iwaya: As you pointed out, this year marks 50 years since the G7’s inception. Since the first summit in Rambouillet, France, the G7 has united around shared values, including freedom and democracy, and contributed to the stability and prosperity of the international community. I believe the value and significance of this G7 are clear.

The world is at a major turning point. Against this backdrop, it is important to maintain and strengthen an international order based on the rule of law, not force, in order to lead the international community toward cooperation rather than division. To do so, the role of the G7, which has shared values and principles, including freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, is critical.

Compared to 50 years ago, I believe the G7’s total GDP as a share of the global GDP, which is often cited, has become smaller. More importantly, however, the G7 has been united by its shared values and principles, as I just mentioned. At the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in March of this year, I emphasized this point and urged my counterparts that it is more important than ever for the G7 to be closely united, a view which we all shared.

The G7 members will continue to work closely together toward peace and stability in the international community, and Japan intends to fully fulfill its role in bringing the G7 members together.

NHK, Shimizu: I would like to ask about the protests in Los Angeles, U.S. People are protesting against the Trump administration’s immigration policy. Some protests have turned violent, and there is no sign of them ending. I believe many Japanese people live in this area. Please share with us the latest information that you know, including whether any Japanese people have been harmed. This is an area visited by many travelers. If there is anything you would like to urge Japanese people traveling to the area, please share that as well.

Minister Iwaya: Regarding the situation in Los Angeles, there are many Japanese citizens living and traveling in the area. Approximately 10,000 Japanese citizens live in Los Angeles, and the number is around 64,000 Japanese citizens including the suburbs. The area has the largest concentration of Japanese citizens outside of Japan. As such, the Government will continue to closely monitor the developments in Los Angeles with great interest.

The Consulate-General of Japan in Los Angeles is regularly sending consular emails and warning people not to go near places where protest activities are taking place.

In addition, there are reports of protest activities in San Francisco, and we have sent out similar warnings for San Francisco.

We have received no reports of any Japanese citizens being harmed at this time.

The Government will continue to closely follow the situation and take all possible measures to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens.

Nikkei Shimbun, Baba: I would like to ask about the activities of the Chinese military. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) has announced that the Chinese military’s Liaoning aircraft carrier was operating in waters near Minamitori-Shima from June 7 to 8. This is the first time MOD made an announcement about Liaoning’s operations beyond the “second island chain,” which connects the Ogasawara Islands and the U.S. territory of Guam and is considered one of China’s lines of defense. Please share your thoughts on China’s area of operations, which not only covers the East China Sea but also extends to the Pacific Ocean surrounding Japan. What is your analysis of China’s intentions? In response to this tendency, do you believe Japan should make a request to China?

Minister Iwaya: We are aware of MOD’s announcement that you referred to. According to MOD, it was confirmed that an aircraft carrier of the Chinese Navy was operating in waters east of Iwo-To, and that it was the first time such an activity was being disclosed. In addition, this was the first time MOD confirmed and disclosed that two aircraft carriers, the Liaoning and the Shandong, were operating in the Pacific Ocean at the same time.

I would like to refrain from commenting on the intentions behind the Chinese military activities. Japan has made a démarche, as appropriate, to the Chinese side. A démarche was made immediately to the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, at the director level.

As the security environment surrounding Japan becomes increasingly severe, the Government will continue to closely monitor developments related to the Chinese military and will take all possible measures to carry out monitoring and surveillance activities in the sea and airspace around Japan.

We will continue to take appropriate responses, including urging the Chinese side as necessary.

Kyodo News, Ayukawa: I have a follow-up question. It was announced during the Chief Cabinet Secretary’s press conference yesterday that a démarche was made, as appropriate, in response to the activities of the Liaoning. However, yesterday evening, MOD announced that it was the first time that the Liaoning and the Shandong were operating in these waters at the same time. Is it correct to understand that Japan made an additional démarche in response to the activities of these two vessels? Furthermore, earlier you mentioned “the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, at the director level.” Does that mean a démarche was made through both the Beijing channel and the MOFA headquarters?

Minister Iwaya: We view that China is currently deploying two aircraft carriers, including the Liaoning that was confirmed. I believe they were naturally the subject of the démarche.

First, the Director of First China and Mongolia Division at MOFA made a démarche to the Minister-Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo. We will continue to take appropriate responses as necessary.

Kyodo News, Ayukawa: I would also like to ask about the G7. I have two questions. First, at summits held among advanced economies, I believe a leaders’ declaration or communiqué or joint statement has been issued for many years. Could you explain what significance the Government of Japan attaches to compiling and issuing such documents? When was the last time such a document was not issued to the Government’s knowledge?

Secondly, Prime Minister Ishiba will be leaving shortly for the G7 Summit to be held in Canada. If you look at the previous communiqué, for example, it contains matters that the Government of Japan attaches importance to, including a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP),” the situations in the East and South China Seas, opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion, and the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Please tell us, to the extent that you can, what the Prime Minister plans to say about these priority issues from the position of the Government of Japan when he attends the summit.

Minister Iwaya: At the upcoming G7 Kananaskis Summit, I understand that discussions will be held mainly on the priority issues set by the Canadian Presidency, including international peace and security, global economic stability and growth, and the digital transition.

Specifically, we expect that the issues will include the international and regional situations, such as Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific, as well as the world economy, economic security, and emerging technologies, such as AI.

Japan is anticipated to actively communicate its position and initiatives to the G7 members and the international community, including the Indo-Pacific perspective. At this stage, nothing has been decided on a leaders’ statement. At this phase, I would like to refrain from making comments based on speculation about the outcomes of the summit, including the leaders’ statement.

Of course, I think issuing a leaders’ statement would be desirable. However, the summit is being held amid a highly complex international situation, and I believe that the unity of the G7 should be given top priority. I expect that a decision would be made appropriately about the leaders’ statement during the course of the summit.

As for when a leaders’ communiqué was not issued immediately after a G7 Summit, I understand that between 2002 and 2007, when it was the G8 including Russia, individual statements were issued for each issue, but no comprehensive leaders’ communiqué was issued.

In any case, G7 summit documents, including the leaders’ statement, have been released externally based on the views of each year’s Presidency and the consensus reached among the members, with the content and format tailored to what is deemed appropriate at the time. What is important is for the leaders to engage in extensive, face-to-face discussions with each other and to ensure the G7 maintains its unity, and I expect that this will be the case at the upcoming summit.