Press Releases

1. On October 25 (Tuesday) and 26 (Wednesday), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the “G7 International Symposium on Food Security and Nutrition” in Tokyo, as a follow-up to the G7 Ise-Shima Summit. In the Symposium, the G7 countries, international organizations and research institutes, partners in developing countries, the private sector and the civil society presented and shared their knowledge and experiences, and more than 200 participants, including some Ambassadors and representatives from diplomatic missions to Japan, attended over the two days.

2. The Symposium was opened by Mrs. Akie Abe, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan, who hoped that individual actions to ensure safe and secure food through sustainable agriculture, rooted in the local communities and respecting the nature, would eventually join force to create a storm of excitement and change the society together. Mr. Kentaro Sonoura, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, gave a keynote speech, which introduced the “G7 Vision for Action on Food Security and Nutrition” (the G7 Vision for Action) put forward at the G7 Ise-Shima Summit, and presented Japan’s vision for the future where (1) women can shine in agriculture and food systems, (2) children can bloom into their full potential, and (3) sustainability of our planet is ensured.

3. The G7 Vision for Action identifies the three priority areas for G7’s concrete, coordinated actions –1) empowering women within agriculture and food systems, 2) improving nutrition by a people-centered approach, and 3) ensuring sustainability and resilience within agriculture and food systems –with the aim to achieve the ambitious target of “aiming to lift 500 million people in developing countries out of hunger and malnutrition by 2030” set by the G7 last year. These actions will also contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda).

4. In the Symposium, the outcomes of the G7 Ise-Shima Summit in the field of food security and nutrition were disseminated through panel discussions regarding the G7 Vision for Action, and the various stakeholders shared good practices and lessons learned and deepened discussions on the role of the G7 and how its collaboration with other stakeholders should be enhanced for achieving the 2030 Agenda. 5. Japan shared its experience and initiatives in development cooperation related to food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture, including the outcomes of TICAD VI, and also good practices of Japanese companies for social contribution, thereby presenting the leadership of Japan in this field both in the public and in the private sectors.

6. This Symposium is expected to accelerate global efforts to tackle the serious challenge of malnutrition affecting almost one in three people in the world and to contribute to the development of discussions on food security and nutrition in the G7 next year and ahead.