HISTORICALSIGNIFICANCE OF THE
G7 HIROSHIMA SUMMITThe G7 Hiroshima Summit was convened from May 19 to 21. G7 leaders held candid and in-depth discussions on
the various issues that the international community is facing. The leaders of eight invited countries and the heads ofseven international organizations, as well as Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, also participated. Prime Minister
Kishida reflected on the Summit, saying that it was a meeting of “historical significance.”
In May 2023, the G7 Hiroshima Summit wasconvened for three days. The leaders of the G7,along with leaders of eight invited countries, namelyAustralia, Brazil, Comoros, the Cook Islands, India,Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, and Vietnam, aswell as the heads of seven international organizations,
namely the United Nations, the International Energy
Agency (IEA), the International Monetary Fund(IMF), the Organization for Economic Co-operation
Prime Minister Kishida andUkrainian President Zelenskyy,
who visited Japan to attend
some of the sessions of theSummit, laid wreaths at theCenotaph for the Atomic Bomb
Victims in the Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Park.

and Development (OECD), the World Bank, theWorld Health Organization (WHO, attendedonline), and the World Trade Organization (WTO),attended the meetings. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
also participated. The “G7 Hiroshima Leaders’Communiqué” and five standalone statements wereissued at the meetings.
Prime Minister Kishida made it clear that theoverall theme of the Summit was to confirm theunity of the G7 and strengthen the roles of the G7
toward an international community characterizedby cooperation, not division and confrontation, andto demonstrate active and concrete contributions
toward this aim. For this purpose, the G7 leaders
shared the importance of the two perspectives, namely,upholding the free and open international order basedon the rule of law, and strengthening engagement withinternational partners beyond the G7.
Hiroshima was the first city in the world to be hit
by an atomic bomb, and the leaders of the G7 andthe invited countries, the heads of the internationalorganizations, as well as President Zelenskyy, visitedthe Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and laid
flowers at the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb
Victims in the Peace Memorial Park. The G7 leaders
had detailed discussions on the realization of a “world
without nuclear weapons” and issued the “G7 Leaders’
Hiroshima Vision on Nuclear Disarmament”—thefirst stand-alone G7 leaders’ document focusing
on nuclear disarmament. The G7 will continue tostrengthen its realistic and practical efforts towards

The G7 leaders participating in a family photo. From left: Charles Michel, President of the European
Council, Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada,
Emmanuel Macron, President of France, KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, Joe Biden,
President of the United States, Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of
the United Kingdom, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

realizing the vision.
invited countries and the heads of the international
As Russia’s aggression against Ukraine continues, the organizations had candid discussions on a broad
G7 leaders reaffirmed their unwavering commitment range of global challenges including development,
to providing the necessary support for Ukraine for as food, health, gender, the climate, energy and thelong as it takes and concurred on concrete efforts for environment. They shared the view that these issues
strengthening sanctions against Russia, releasing the need to be tackled in close cooperation with a wide
“G7 Leaders’ Statement on Ukraine.” They also had a range of international partners. The leaders of the G7
candid discussion with President Zelenskyy.
and the invited countries jointly issued the “Hiroshima
The G7 leaders held earnest discussions on regional Action Statement for Resilient Global Food Security”
situations, focusing on the Indo-Pacific. They and concurred on the need for cooperation.
reiterated the importance of realizing a free and open
Finally, the leaders of the G7, the invited countries
Indo-Pacific (FOIP) and confirmed that they will and Ukraine had a candid discussion on the peacecontinue to work closely together to address various and stability of the world. They shared a recognition
issues related to China and those related to North of the importance of the rule of law and the principles
Korea, including the nuclear and missile development enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
and the abduction issue.
The three-day meeting ended with “historicalAlso, for the first time, the G7 leaders addressed significance,” showing the world that the G7, in close
economic resilience and economic security as a stand- cooperation with international partners, will makealone agenda item of a G7 Summit. The G7 leaders continuous efforts for a peaceful and prosperous world.
confirmed their united response to and follow up on a Japan will proceed to make full use of the fruitfulrange of issues that need to be tackled in the long term discussions and the outcome of the Summit.
and in close coordination. They
sent comprehensive and concrete
messages by issuing the “G7Leaders’ Statement on Economic
ResilienceandEconomic
Security.” They also issued the“G7 Clean Energy Economy
Action Plan,” which covers the Above: The Japan-Australia-India-U.S.
Leaders’ Meeting was held inbuilding of resilient supply chains (Quad)
Hiroshima as the third in-person meetingof clean energy including critical reaffirming steadfast commitment to a freeand open Indo-Pacific.
minerals.
Right: The G7 leaders, along with theThe leaders of the G7 and the leaders of eight invited countries and theheads of seven international organizations,discussed such issues as food, health,development, and gender.