{"id":5806,"date":"2023-04-16T13:08:12","date_gmt":"2023-04-16T13:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=5806"},"modified":"2023-04-16T13:08:12","modified_gmt":"2023-04-16T13:08:12","slug":"diplomats-flock-to-japan-at-historical-turning-point","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/asia\/asia-pacific\/japan\/diplomats-flock-to-japan-at-historical-turning-point\/2023\/04\/16\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"Diplomats Flock to Japan at ‘Historical Turning Point’"},"content":{"rendered":"

KARUIZAWA (AP) \u2014 Top diplomats from Europe and North America were arriving in this hot spring resort town to discuss the world\u2019s most intractable crises, including ways to end Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine, confront China\u2019s aggression toward Taiwan and lure North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks.<\/p>\n

They will dive right in, with a private working dinner Sunday spotlighting China and North Korea. But even before the Group of Seven foreign ministers\u2019 talks began, outside events threatened to overshadow the diplomacy, including questions about U.S. intelligence leaks that cast doubt over crucial alliances, and security worries after someone threw an explosive device at the Japanese leader during a campaign event.<\/p>\n

Japan is eager to use a smoothly run G-7, which includes a host of gatherings on climate, finance and other issues ahead of a leaders\u2019 summit next month in Hiroshima, to pursue a stronger unified front against what Tokyo and other democracies see as Russian, Chinese and North Korean aggression.<\/p>\n

Amid widespread skepticism that the United Nations, which is often paralyzed by the oversized power on the Security Council of Russia and China, can do anything about these issues, many will be watching to see what, if anything, G-7 ministers from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and the European Union might help to solve the problems.<\/p>\n

Security<\/span> in<\/span> Karuizawa<\/span> is<\/span> tight,<\/span> but<\/span> Japan<\/span> was<\/span> forced<\/span> to<\/span> address<\/span> security<\/span> concerns<\/span> after<\/span> a<\/span> young<\/span> man<\/span> threw<\/span> explosives<\/span> at<\/span> Japanese<\/span> Prime<\/span> Minister<\/span> Fumio<\/span> Kishida<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> eve<\/span> of<\/span> diplomats’<\/span> arrival,<\/span> who<\/span> was<\/span> unharmed<\/span> on<\/span> Saturday.<\/span> and<\/span> continued<\/span> to<\/span> campaign,<\/span> but<\/span> the<\/span> attack<\/span> is<\/span> an<\/span> unwelcome<\/span> development<\/span> for<\/span> Tokyo<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> ongoing<\/span> security<\/span> dispute<\/span> over<\/span> the<\/span> assassination<\/span> of<\/span> former<\/span> Prime<\/span> Minister<\/span> Shinzo<\/span> Abe<\/span> nine<\/span> months<\/span> ago.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> three-day<\/span> meeting<\/span> was<\/span> also<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> real<\/span> test<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Biden<\/span> administration’s<\/span> claim<\/span> that<\/span> minimal<\/span> damage<\/span> was<\/span> done<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> disclosure<\/span> of<\/span> classified<\/span> documents<\/span> related<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> war<\/span> in<\/span> Ukraine<\/span> and<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> U.S.<\/span> view<\/span> of<\/span> its<\/span> allies<\/span> and<\/span> partners.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before<\/span> traveling<\/span> to<\/span> Japan,<\/span> U.S.<\/span> Secretary<\/span> of<\/span> State<\/span> Antony<\/span> Blinken<\/span> said<\/span> Saturday<\/span> from<\/span> Hanoi<\/span> that<\/span> he<\/span> had<\/span> heard<\/span> no<\/span> concerns<\/span> from<\/span> allies,<\/span> but<\/span> the<\/span> revelations<\/span> will<\/span> loom<\/span> over<\/span> the<\/span> G-7<\/span> meeting,<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> major<\/span> international<\/span> diplomatic<\/span> conference<\/span> since<\/span> the<\/span> documents<\/span> were<\/span> discovered<\/span> online<\/span> and<\/span> made<\/span> public.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>On<\/span> the<\/span> diplomatic<\/span> front,<\/span> the<\/span> talks,<\/span> which<\/span> end<\/span> Tuesday,<\/span> will<\/span> be<\/span> dominated<\/span> by<\/span> worries<\/span> over<\/span> the<\/span> Russian<\/span> leader’s<\/span> threats<\/span> to<\/span> use<\/span> tactical<\/span> nuclear<\/span> weapons<\/span> as<\/span> his<\/span> forces<\/span> struggle<\/span> in<\/span> Ukraine,<\/span> China’s<\/span> increasing<\/span> belligerence<\/span> toward<\/span> Taiwan,<\/span> the<\/span> self-governing<\/span> island<\/span> Beijing<\/span> claims<\/span> as<\/span> its<\/span> own,<\/span> and<\/span> North<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> record-setting<\/span> run<\/span> of<\/span> illicit<\/span> weapons<\/span> tests.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Some<\/span> observers<\/span> expect<\/span> that<\/span> Japan<\/span> and<\/span> other<\/span> nations<\/span> might<\/span> use<\/span> the<\/span> G-7<\/span> to<\/span> announce<\/span> an<\/span> increase<\/span> in<\/span> aid<\/span> to<\/span> Ukraine.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cAs<\/span> Russia’s<\/span> invasion<\/span> of<\/span> Ukraine<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> shaking<\/span> the<\/span> foundation<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> international<\/span> order,<\/span> the<\/span> international<\/span> community<\/span> is<\/span> now<\/span> at<\/span> a<\/span> historic<\/span> turning<\/span> point,\u201d<\/span> Japanese<\/span> Foreign<\/span> Minister<\/span> Yoshimasa<\/span> Hayashi<\/span> said<\/span> ahead<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> meeting.<\/span> \u201cI<\/span> will<\/span> lead<\/span> discussions<\/span> as<\/span> chair<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> meeting<\/span> and<\/span> show<\/span> the<\/span> G-7’s<\/span> strong<\/span> determination<\/span> to<\/span> absolutely<\/span> reject<\/span> attempts<\/span> to<\/span> change<\/span> the<\/span> status<\/span> quo<\/span> by<\/span> force,<\/span> and<\/span> Russia’s<\/span> threat<\/span> of<\/span> nuclear<\/span> weapons<\/span> or<\/span> their<\/span> use,<\/span> while<\/span> defending<\/span> the<\/span> rules-based<\/span> international<\/span> order.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Though<\/span> diplomats<\/span> from<\/span> Beijing<\/span> won’t<\/span> be<\/span> present<\/span> in<\/span> Japan,<\/span> China’s<\/span> rapid<\/span> military<\/span> rise<\/span> will<\/span> also<\/span> play<\/span> a<\/span> large<\/span> part<\/span> in<\/span> discussions.<\/span> China<\/span> recently<\/span> sent<\/span> planes<\/span> and<\/span> ships<\/span> to<\/span> conduct<\/span> a<\/span> mock<\/span> siege<\/span> of<\/span> Taiwan,<\/span> and<\/span> in<\/span> recent<\/span> years<\/span> has<\/span> witnessed<\/span> a<\/span> rapid<\/span> increase<\/span> in<\/span> nuclear<\/span> warheads,<\/span> hardening<\/span> of<\/span> China’s<\/span> territorial<\/span> claims<\/span> over<\/span> the<\/span> South<\/span> China<\/span> Sea,<\/span> and<\/span> an<\/span> increase<\/span> in<\/span> President<\/span> Xi<\/span> Jinping’s<\/span> rhetoric.<\/span>\u00a0
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Partly<\/span> in<\/span> response<\/span> to<\/span> China’s<\/span> rise,<\/span> Japan<\/span> has<\/span> made<\/span> a<\/span> major<\/span> departure<\/span> from<\/span> its<\/span> post-World<\/span> War<\/span> II<\/span> doctrine<\/span> of<\/span> pure<\/span> self-defense<\/span> and<\/span> is<\/span> committed<\/span> to<\/span> acquiring<\/span> first-strike<\/span> capabilities<\/span> and<\/span> cruise<\/span> missiles<\/span> to<\/span> counter<\/span> the<\/span> growing<\/span> threat.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Diplomats<\/span> will<\/span> also<\/span> seek<\/span> ways<\/span> to<\/span> resume<\/span> diplomacy<\/span> aimed<\/span> at<\/span> pressuring<\/span> rival<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> to<\/span> return<\/span> to<\/span> arms<\/span> control<\/span> talks.<\/span> Since<\/span> last<\/span> year,<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> has<\/span> tested<\/span> about<\/span> 100<\/span> missiles,<\/span> including<\/span> her<\/span> ICBM,<\/span> which<\/span> showed<\/span> potential<\/span> to<\/span> reach<\/span> the<\/span> US<\/span> mainland,<\/span> and<\/span> other<\/span> short-range<\/span> weapons<\/span> that<\/span> threaten<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> and<\/span> Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KARUIZAWA (AP) \u2014 Top diplomats from Europe and North America were arriving in this hot spring resort town to discuss the world\u2019s most intractable crises, including ways to end Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine, confront China\u2019s aggression toward Taiwan and lure North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks. They will dive right in, with a private […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5807,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[2428,24,280],"tags":[3938,3939,3940,3941,3942,156,936,3793,3896,3935,3936,3937],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/histrc.webp","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5806"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5806"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5806\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5808,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5806\/revisions\/5808"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}