Japan PM Kishida to spend Golden Week in Africa ahead of G7 summit in Hiroshima

Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has planned to travel to Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique during Japan's Golden Week holidays that begin in late April. This visit will take place before the Group of Seven (G7) summit scheduled to be held in Hiroshima in May, according to an announcement made by Tokyo on Tuesday.

During a routine press conference, the Japanese government's main spokesperson, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, expressed the importance of collaborating with prominent African nations to address global concerns, emphasising that such cooperation holds great significance for Japan, which is currently presiding over the G7 summit in Hiroshima for this year.

Sources from the government have reported that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is anticipated to embark on a week-long journey commencing on April 29, marking his maiden voyage to Africa since assuming office in October 2021, reported Japan Times.

As the G7 summit approaches, which will be held in the prime minister's home constituency, Kishida has voiced his eagerness to enhance connections with the "Global South," a phrase that encompasses developing countries located south of the equator with numerous of them in Africa.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several developing countries, including African nations, have attempted to remain neutral and avoid aligning with either side in the conflict.

49th G7 summit in Hiroshima

The G7 Summit is an international forum held annually for the leaders of the G7 member states of France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada (in order of rotating presidency), and the European Union (EU), which is a "non-enumerated member". The dates for the 2023 G7 summit are May 19-21, 2023.

This year with its G7 Presidency, Japan will host the G7 Hiroshima Summit. It has significant implications that the leaders of the G7 gather for discussions in Hiroshima, a city that has recovered from the catastrophic damage by an atomic bomb and which continues to seek lasting world peace.

"Having experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and being faced with Russia's aggression against Ukraine, which shook the very foundation of the international order, the international community is now at a historic turning point. The G7 firmly rejects any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or the threat or use of nuclear weapons and upholds the international order based on the rule of law. I will lead the discussion as Chair and demonstrate the G7’s strong determination to the world with historical significance," Japanese PM Kishida has stated in a message on the G7 website.