Japan's top govt official says G7 framework should be maintained

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on August 11 said that it is very important to maintain the framework of Group of Seven (G7), an organisation consisting of seven major developed countries. Suga's comment comes a day after the United States President Donald Trump said he is yet to decide on whether to invite the Russian President to this year's summit or not, which is scheduled to be held in the United States. 

Read: Donald Trump 'much More Inclined' To Host G7 Summit After November 3 US Elections

Russia was expelled from G7, what was known as Group of Eight (G8) then after it illegally annexed the Crimea region from Ukraine in 2014. Donald Trump, on several occasions, has expressed his willingness to invite Vladimir Putin to this year's meet, which will be chaired by the United States, but his remarks have always garnered criticism from other member states, which includes the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan. 

Read: Germany Rejects Trump's Proposal Of Russia's Return To G7 After Its Expulsion Over Crimea

Recently, Germany's foreign minister Heiko Mass also rejected Trump's proposal to invite Russia to G7. Trump had said that it was "common sense" to invite Moscow back to the group consisting of the top advanced economies of the word. Mass while rejecting Trump's proposal said that Russia should only be invited back to the group when the conflict in Ukraine is resolved in a meaningful way. Britain and Canada have also echoed similar sentiments in the past. 

Read: US Invites PM Modi To Next G7 Summit, Calls China's Behaviour 'unacceptable' In Galwan

Summit after US poll?

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, who had earlier announced but retracted that he wanted to hold this year's meet at his private resort in Florida, now wants to hold G7 only after the upcoming presidential poll in November is over. Donald Trump on August 10 told reporters outside the White House that he wants to hold the summit after the election is over.  

Read: Japan Wants To Take Lead On Issuing G7 Statement On Hong Kong, Says PM Shinzo Abe