Introduction
The year 2023 has ushered in valuable opportunities for Japan to play a globally influential role amidst one of the most challenging security environments impacting the international rules-based order. In 2023, Japan assumed the Presidency of the Group of Seven (G7) and will be hosting the G7 summit at Hiroshima from 19 to 21 May 2023. Japan also began its term as one of the five newly elected non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the years 2023 and 2024.
With Japan undertaking such vital global roles in 2023, it is expected to set the agenda through the G7 for the ongoing year and later add value as a core member of the G20, which is being chaired and hosted by its “Special, Strategic and Global” partner India in September 2023. This article will delve into the actions that Japan is expected to prioritise in 2023 while navigating the various multilateral forums, in particular as Chair of the G7 group. It will also find commonalities in objectives that Japan and India can pursue through their respective Chairmanship of G7 and G20 in the year 2023.
In the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the UN Security Council (UNSC) is in a crisis, raising questions about its effectiveness in maintaining international peace and security. In such a scenario, the G7 partners have become somewhat of an unofficial substitute to carry out the United Nations’ (UN) mandate to maintain an international rules-based order, both with sanctions and aid. Amidst the sharpening escalations in geopolitical tensions, Japan will be under the spotlight as it has an immensely significant role to play being the only Asian member within the G7.
Japan’s Presidency of the Group of Seven (G7)
Since the inception of the G7 forum in 1975, this will be the 7th Presidency for Japan at the G7. The last time that Japan held the Presidency of the G7 was in 2016, when the late Shinzo Abe was the Prime Minister of the country. Ever since Tokyo last chaired the G7 forum in 2016 there still remains a continuity over issues such as concerns over the global economy, determination towards non-proliferation and disarmament, and geopolitical conflagrations.
The geopolitical crisis over Ukraine due to the Crimean annexation of 2014, which was one of the pressing concerns then in 2016, has acquired greater urgency through the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict that began on 24 February 2022. The G7, with Japan as Chair in 2016, had then taken up a unified stand condemning the “illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia” while reaffirming their policy of its non-recognition as well as sanctions against those involved.[1]
It is evident that as Chair of the G7 in 2023, Japan will reemphasise their commitment to oppose any unilateral attempts at changing the status quo by force or coercion. Before addressing the unequivocal standpoint that Japan would be undertaking as Chair of the G7 in 2023 regarding the Russia-Ukraine crisis, this article will first examine the areas of priorities that are not mainstream but will be consequential for the peace, stability and prosperity of the global community.
Global Health
To begin with, the Japanese Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa recently emphasised that global health will be one of the priority issues at the G7 Hiroshima Summit in May 2023.[2] This announcement was made at the online meeting for the “COVID-19 Global Action Plan (GAP) Foreign Ministerial Meeting” hosted by the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.[3] This meeting included close to 32 individual countries, plus the European Union, the African Union, and the World Health Organization as partners.[4]
As stated by the Foreign Minister of Japan Hayashi Yoshimasa, under the Presidency of Japan, the G7 Summit will host discussion constructed on three pillars:[5]
Tokyo has pledged that it will continue to play a leading role in global health. Japan is determined to ensure that the future outbreaks of COVID-19 variants can be contained more efficiently, there be equitable access to vaccines throughout the world, and establishment of better health security through universal healthcare in the post COVID-19 era.[6] The COVID-19 pandemic showcased that health security is linked to national and global security.[7] It required global cooperation to help reinforce supply chains to improve distribution of necessary medicines, equipment and vaccines to fight the disease. Tokyo as Chair of the G7 will push for continued global cooperative efforts to tackle the persistent challenges of global health.
Economic Coercion
On 5 January 2023, during the US visit of Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Yasutoshi Nishimura delivered remarks on Japan’s 2023 priorities as Chair of the G7 and their vision for the future economic order.[8] In his remarks he outlined the need for the G7 advanced economies to undertake a coordinated approach in order to prevent “economic coercion” that China had imposed on some of its trading partners.[9] Some incidents he highlighted were regarding China’s suspension of imports of Taiwanese pineapples and Australian wine.[10] Nishimura stressed that in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine, the global shocks that occurred in a short span of two years caused disillusionment regarding the traditional understanding on how economic interdependence leads to global peace.[11] Instead, he stated that it has caused an increase of global risk, and the earlier assumptions were unmistakably an illusion.[12] The primary defaulters as per his remarks were the authoritarian states that grew their economies and misused the trust of the global community with time, eventually they lost their inhibitions and challenged the international order.[13]
As per the remarks of Japan’s Economy & Trade Minister, their vision of an economic order based on free and fair rules requires building up of economic security to be insulated against economic coercions.[14] This means promoting and protecting important emerging technologies. In order to do so, learning lessons from the past, the steps being promulgated are to diversify their dependency and not rely on one specific country for goods and technologies indispensable to their industries and daily lives.[15] In the field of semiconductors, biotechnology, and other important emerging technologies, Japan is proposing to join forces with the US in driving global innovation and investments on a large scale. In order to mitigate the misuse of critical and emerging technologies, Japan is also planning to reinforce international cooperation in the area of export control with the US and other relevant countries.
Supply Chain Resilience & other initiatives
In conjunction with technologies, Japan will push for supply chain resilience. In the field of semiconductors, Tokyo is partnering with Taiwanese corporation TSMC, constructing a logic semiconductors factory in Japan, expected to be operational by 2024. Japan will also be looking at diversifying their supply of critical minerals while reducing the high risks involved in resource extraction or exploitation. Urban mining as a concept, which means extracting minerals from recycled mobile phones, discarded computers and e-waste to extract gold, silver, copper and rare metals, is going to become another priority for Japan. The Minister for METI also extolled how they will be focusing on materialising the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) concept. The first meeting of the AZEC, was hosted by Japan on 4 March 2023.[16] Japan through the AZEC aims to “accelerate formulation of clean energy projects, garner interest in transition finance around the world, reduce costs of implementing new technologies through support and policy coordination, and create and increase demand for decarbonization technologies”.[17]
The METI Minister of Japan established a much-needed emphasis on building cooperation among like-minded countries while aligning industrial policies on economic security. Some of the cooperative mechanisms that are underway and had been advocated by the Japanese Foreign Minister were the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) that is heading towards an early conclusion in negotiations. In particular, Japan sees the IPEF to be significant in the current environment of global shocks, as the IPEF would jointly address the challenges through boosting supply chain resilience and building a clean economy.
Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
One of Japan’s most consistently active advocacy has been on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. As the only country in the world to have suffered the consequences of a nuclear bomb attack during the Second World War, Japan has long affirmed the need to realise a “world without nuclear weapons”.[18] While Japan has committed to not arm itself with nuclear weapons, there are countries possessing nuclear weapons such as Russia, China and North Korea in close proximity to Japan. Therefore, it has created a security dilemma for Japan, which is forcing them to seek the strengthening of the deterrence provided by the US nuclear umbrella.[19]
After the Russia-Ukraine conflict, speculations are rife regarding the irresponsible use of nuclear weapons. It has been nearly 77 years of no nuclear weapons after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. The lessons learned from the bombings should serve as a call for restraint amongst all parties involved in the nuclear rhetoric. The G7 is expected to underscore their continued support for the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) efforts to address nuclear safety concerns in Ukraine.[20]
Russia-Ukraine crisis
In its first statement on 22 February 2022, the Japanese Government had expressed not only unacceptability but strong condemnation of Russia’s Presidential decree recognising the “independence of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, as well as the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance” [21] concluded with these two Republics, “granting the Russian Armed Force the right to build and use military bases and others”.[22] On 24 February 2022, Japan in the immediate aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine conflict announced its condemnation of the launch of military actions by Russia in Ukraine in the strongest terms.[23] Japan had also announced that it would coordinate a tough response in cooperation with the international community, including the G7. The launch of military actions by Russia in Ukraine was termed a clear infringement of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, constituting a serious violation of international law prohibiting the use of force, and a grave breach of the United Nations Charter.[24] Tokyo had announced implementing a set of sanctions, ranging from financial measures, to trade, to visa matters in coordination with the international community, including the G7.[25] Japan also coordinated with the US and other allies to join in the asset freeze of selected Russian banks, and excluding their access to the SWIFT international payment system.[26]
Under the Presidency of Germany at the G7 Leaders’ Summit on 28 June 2022, the joint communique stated their firm support for Ukraine as well as the continuation of imposing severe economic costs on Vladmir Putin’s administration.[27] On 11 October 2022, the leaders of the G7, convened with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the backdrop of the missile attacks against civilian infrastructure and cities across Ukraine, to deliver a joint statement—“The G7 firmly condemn and unequivocally reject the illegal attempted annexation by Russia of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions in addition to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol”.[28] The joint statement also reiterated that the G7 “will continue to impose further economic costs on Russia, including on individuals and entities – inside and outside of Russia – providing political or economic support for Russia’s illegal attempts to change the status of Ukrainian territory”.[29]
Therefore, Japan as the G7 Chair in 2023 is expected to reiterate these positions and continue with the strong determination of the G7 members to not accept any unilateral change of status quo by force.[30] With there already being an earlier affirmation within the G7 on Russia’s actions being unacceptable as it violates international law, [31] Japan will intend to reemphasise the G7’s rejection of Russia’s armed aggression, threats with nuclear weapons and attempts to overthrow the international order.[32] Japan will also push for provision of further necessary assistance to Ukraine. As per the Japanese Government report published on 27 January 2023, Tokyo had provided Ukraine with a financial support of USD 600 million till November 2022.[33] This amount was said to be the least amongst the G7 partners.[34] However, on 20 February 2023, the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced their pledge of an additional USD 5.5 billion in financial aid for Ukraine.[35] Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had invited Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to an online meet of the G7 on 24 February 2023.[36] This was the first Summit presided over by the Japanese Prime Minister as Chair of the G7, before the in-person summit scheduled for May 2023.[37]
Way Forward: Commonalities between India at G20 and Japan at G7
The Indian Government identified six areas of priorities as Chair of the G20 for the year 2023.[38] The areas of priorities include Green Development, Climate Finance & LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment); Accelerated, Inclusive & Resilient Growth; Accelerating progress on SDGs; Technological Transformation & Digital Public Infrastructure; Multilateral Institutions for the 21st century; and Women-led development. Wide range of discussions and ministerial level meetings will be held across the country for the six areas of priorities, apart from the G20 Leaders’ Summit. Similarly, Japan is planning to organise a number of Ministerial level meetings based on certain themes and topics, apart from the G7 Leaders’ Summit.[39] These discussions will be on Global Health; Economic Security; Climate, Energy and Environment; Science and Technology; Digital Technology; Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, which are quite similar to the six areas of priorities by India at the G20.
Even amidst the complex geopolitics there are certain avenues which remain consistently vital for both India at the G20, and Japan at the G7. One very important area of priority for both India and Japan will be to demonstrate a strong commitment, to the reform of the UN and to multilateralism. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had already declared the urgency of returning the Security Council to the visions and principles of the UN Charter, during his speech at the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 20 September 2022.[40] Consequently, one of the six areas of priorities that India has targeted as Chair of the G20 is “Multilateral Institutions for the 21st Century”.[41] Through such initiatives, India will continue to strongly advocate and push for reformed multilateralism, “that creates more accountable, inclusive just, equitable and representative multipolar international system that is fit for addressing the challenges in the 21st century”.[42]
Therefore, amidst the global shocks and uncertain security environment, Japan as the only Asian member country currently as Chair of the G7, and current non-permanent member of the UNSC is expected to play a globally influential role in the year 2023 especially when it comes to reform of the UN. Correspondingly, reformed multilateralism is a fundamental priority for India as Chair of the G20 in September 2023. Both Japan and India need to work in coordination on the areas of mutually converging agendas at the G7 and the G20, to strengthen the international rules-based order, and maintain peace, stability and prosperity for the global community.
*****
* Dr Tunchinmang Langel, Research Fellow, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal.
Endnotes
[1] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “G7 Ise-Shima Leaders’ Declaration,” G7 Ise-Shima Summit, 26–27 May 2016, https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000160266.pdf (Accessed: 20 February 2023)
[2] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “The COVID-19 Global Action Plan (GAP) Foreign Ministerial Meeting,” February 8, 2023, https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press1e_000372.html (Accessed: 20 February 2023)
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “Chair's Statement, COVID-19 Global Action Plan Ministerial,” February 8, 2023, https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/100457556.pdf (Accessed: 20 February 2023)
[5] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “The COVID-19 Global Action Plan (GAP) Foreign Ministerial Meeting,” February 8, 2023, https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press1e_000372.html (Accessed: 20 February 2023)
[6] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “COVID-19 Global Action Plan Foreign Ministerial Meeting
Statement by Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa,” February 8, 2023, https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/100456851.pdf (Accessed: 20 February 2023)
[7]Kyodo. “Japan says global health to top agenda at G7 summit in May,” The Japan Times, February 9, 2023, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/09/national/politics-diplomacy/japan-g7-covid-health/ (Accessed: 20 February 2023)
[8] Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS). “Japan's 2023 G7 Priorities and the Future Economic Order,” January 5, 2023, https://www.csis.org/events/japans-2023-g7-priorities-and-future-economic-order (Accessed: 20 February 2023)
[9] Christopher Anstey. “As G7 Head, Japan Wants Member Countries to Team Up Against China’s ‘Economic Coercion’,” Time, January 6, 2023, https://time.com/6245021/japan-g7-economic-coercion-china/ (Accessed: 20 February 2023)
[10] NISHIMURA Yahsutoshi. “Building a New Order after Overcoming Illusion,” Center for Strategic and International Studies, January 5, 2023, https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2023-01/230105_Address_Nishimura_0.pdf?VersionId=sVO6pgYvJ5g4S8rvnA98NY049NJZcMX3 (Accessed: 22 February 2023)
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). “Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting to Be Hosted,” December 15, 2022, https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2022/1215_003.html (Accessed: 22 February 2023)
[17] Ibid.
[18] Public Relations Office, Government of Japan. “Toward a World without Nuclear Weapon,” https://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/html/201612/201612_07_en.html (Accessed: 22 February 2023)
[19] Takahashi Kosuke. “Kishida’s Dilemmas as G7 President,” The Diplomat, January 17, 2023, https://thediplomat.com/2023/01/kishidas-3-dilemmas-as-g7-president/ (Accessed: 22 February 2023)
[20] U.S. Department of State. G7 Foreign Minister’s Statement at the Munich Security Conference, February 21, 2023, https://www.state.gov/g7-foreign-ministers-statement-at-the-munich-security-conference/ (Accessed: 23 February 2023)
[21] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “Russia's Recognition of the “Independence” of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” and the “Luhansk People's Republic” (Statement by Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa),” February 22, 2022, https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press4e_003084.html (Accessed: 23 February 2023)
[22] Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. “Federation Council gives consent to use the Russian Armed Forces outside of the Russian Federation,” February 22, 2022, http://council.gov.ru/en/events/news/133443/ (Accessed: 6 March 2023)
[23] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “The launch of military actions by Russia in Ukraine (Statement by Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa),” February 24, 2022, https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press4e_003086.html (Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[24] Ibid.
[25] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “Sanction Measures following Russia's Recognition of the ‘Independence’ of the ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ and the ‘Luhansk People's Republic’ and the ratification of treaties with the two ‘Republics’ (Statement by Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa),” February 24, 2022, https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press4e_003085.html (Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[26] Reuters. “Japan joins U.S., others in excluding Russia from SWIFT system,” February 27, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/japan-joins-us-others-excluding-russia-swift-system-2022-02-27/ (Accessed: 6 March 2023)
[27] G7 Germany. “G7 Leaders’ Communique,” June 28, 2022, https://www.g7germany.de/resource/blob/974430/2062292/fbdb2c7e996205aee402386aae057c5e/2022-07-14-leaders-communique-data.pdf?download=1 (Accessed: 6 March 2023)
[28] European Council: Council of the European Union. “G7 statement on Ukraine,” October 11, 2022, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/10/11/g7-statement-on-ukraine/ (Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[29] Ibid.
[30] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “Press Conference by Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa,” December 23, 2022, https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/kaiken/kaiken24e_000189.html (Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[31] European Council: Council of the European Union. “G7 statement on Ukraine,” October 11, 2022, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/10/11/g7-statement-on-ukraine/ (Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[32] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “Press Conference by Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa,” December 23, 2022, https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/kaiken/kaiken24e_000189.html (Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[33] The Government of Japan. “Japan Stands with Ukraine,” January 27, 2023, https://japan.kantei.go.jp/ongoingtopics/pdf/jp_stands_with_ukraine_eng.pdf (Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[34] Takahashi Kosuke, “Kishida’s 3 Dilemmas as G7 President,” The Diplomat, January 17, 2023, https://thediplomat.com/2023/01/kishidas-3-dilemmas-as-g7-president/
(Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[35] The Japan Times, “Kishida pledges $5.5 billion in additional Ukraine aid,” February 20, 2023, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/20/national/japan-ukraine-fresh-aid/
(Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[36] AFP-JIJI. “G7 vows to strengthen coordinated sanctions on Russia over Ukraine,” The Japan Times, February 25, 2023, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/25/world/g7-virtual-summit/ (Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[37] Ibid.
[38] Press Information Bureau. “G-20 and India’s Presidency,” December 9, 2022, https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1882356 (Accessed: 24 February 2023)
[39] G7 2023 Hiroshima Summit. “Ministerial Meetings,” https://www.g7hiroshima.go.jp/en/ministerialmeetings/
(Accessed: 27 February 2023)
[40] The Government of Japan. “Address by Prime Minister Kishida at the Seventy-Seventh Session of the United Nations General Assembly (Prime Minister’s Office of Japan),” September 20, 2022, https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2022/10/pm_address_at_the_77th_unga.html (Accessed: 27 February 2023)
[41] Press Information Bureau. “G-20 and India’s Presidency,” December 9, 2022, https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1882356 (Accessed: 27 February 2023)
[42] Ibid.