The author is prime minister of Japan

Once I visited Ukraine in March and met President Zelenskyy, I expressed to him my dedication to sustaining the unwavering unity of the G7 for strict sanctions in opposition to Russia and our strong help for his nation. At my invitation, he’ll take part in discussions on the G7 summit in Hiroshima this weekend.

Japan has pledged $7.6bn in help for Ukraine. Some folks may marvel why a geographically distant nation is so dedicated. It’s because Russia’s aggression in opposition to Ukraine will not be solely a matter of European safety, but in addition a problem to the free and open worldwide order based mostly on the rule of legislation. Immediately’s Ukraine could also be tomorrow’s east Asia. We’re decided to uphold the rule of legislation, firmly rejecting the rule of pressure.

The world faces a posh set of crises at the moment, together with local weather change, the pandemic and geopolitical crises. On the G7 summit, I and my counterparts will focus on regional conditions similar to Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific, together with east Asia, notably China and North Korea. We may also focus on the worldwide financial system, together with meals and power safety; financial resilience and financial safety; nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation; digital applied sciences; and world points similar to local weather change, well being and growth.

As a holder of the G7 presidency, Japan wish to take the lead in responding to those a number of crises. Whereas every member’s pursuits could differ in addressing these challenges, the G7 is decided to reply in a united method to any problem to the prevailing worldwide order based mostly on the rule of legislation that we rely on, wherever it happens. This unwavering willpower is a very powerful message of this G7 Hiroshima Summit.

The Indo-Pacific area is predicted to be the centre of gravity for the worldwide group sooner or later, with the promise of essentially the most dynamic financial development and innovation. That mentioned, it additionally faces rising challenges that have an effect on the worldwide group as an entire, together with unilateral makes an attempt to vary the established order by pressure, non-market practices and financial coercion, in addition to the difficulty of how financial development might be suitable with local weather change.

In March this yr, the UK introduced the Built-in Assessment Refresh of its safety, defence, growth and international insurance policies, and its accession negotiations on the Complete and Progressive Settlement for Trans-Pacific Partnership reached substantial conclusion. By demonstrating its dedication to the Indo-Pacific area, the UK exhibits that it absolutely recognises that peace and prosperity there are in its personal pursuits. This everlasting engagement with this area is strategically and geopolitically astute. It’s encouraging that the UK is trying many years into the longer term and making its investments from a long-term perspective.

This isn’t merely by way of securing its financial pursuits similar to commerce, or safeguarding provide chains for semiconductors and significant assets. Worldwide co-operation on world points, which help the nationwide pursuits of the UK and Europe as an entire, require efforts that transcend regional boundaries.

On the identical time, addressing the challenges that the world is going through at the moment requires the efforts of your entire worldwide group, together with the so-called World South. Because the G7, we wish to strengthen our outreach. That’s the reason I lately visited Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique, and have invited Australia, Brazil, Comoros, the Cook dinner Islands, India, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, and Vietnam to the Hiroshima Summit for discussions.

Whether or not it’s in regards to the scenario in Ukraine or local weather change, it is very important let the so-called World South determine to deepen co-operation with the G7 by selection, not by imposition, if we’re to realize ­co-operation from your entire worldwide group. The secret is that the worldwide group, together with the G7, firmly responds with unity to conditions like Ukraine wherever they happen. Furthermore, it’s also necessary that the G7 exhibits solidarity with, and helps to shoulder the burden of, weak international locations.

From this attitude, I introduced a brand new plan for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific once I visited India in March. I introduced help for the expansion and financial resilience of the Indo-Pacific international locations by means of establishing a free and truthful financial order, strengthening connectivity, together with by means of infrastructure growth, and making certain maritime peace and stability. By way of dialogue with different international locations, we hope to steer the worldwide group away from fragmentation and in direction of co-operation.

The G7 Summit that’s to be held in Hiroshima has particular significance. For 77 years for the reason that atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, humanity has not used nuclear weapons. We must not ever neglect this historic achievement.

Nuclear weapons must not ever be used once more, and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, together with threats of nuclear weapons similar to these made by Russia, isn’t acceptable. There isn’t a higher place than Hiroshima to ship the message of shifting in direction of “a world with out nuclear weapons”. I look ahead to deepening discussions with the G7 leaders to advertise lifelike and sensible efforts on this regard.

It’s crucial that the G7 takes the initiative when the world faces a posh set of crises. Japan is decided to train management whereas it holds the G7 Presidency, and co-operation from every member of the G7 is indispensable.