23:51     05 November 2022    

Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa says Japan will lead discussions on the situation in Ukraine and regional issues in the Indo-Pacific as the chair of the Group of Seven meetings next year, according to NHK World.

Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa says Japan will lead discussions on the situation in Ukraine and regional issues in the Indo-Pacific as the chair of the Group of Seven meetings next year, according to NHK World. Hayashi was in Germany for a G7 ministerial-level meeting. He met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the gathering on Friday. The two confirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and affirmed working together in dealing with various issues related to China. They agreed to closely follow Beijing's moves as Chinese President Xi Jinping began his third term as the leader of the Communist Party. They also discussed North Korea's provocative actions, including its latest series of missile launches. They reaffirmed that their two countries will continue to work toward the complete denuclearization of North Korea in line with UN Security Council resolutions. Hayashi spoke with reporters after wrapping up his meetings in Germany. He said he stressed the importance of maintaining an international order based on the rule of law as the global community confronts various issues. He added that any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force will never be tolerated. Hayashi went on to say Japan will lead discussions as the G7 chair in next year's meetings of the group.