Japan PM bats for united G7 to counter 'wrong lessons learnt' from Russia-Ukraine war

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, on Sunday, stressed importance of presenting a united front by Group of Seven (G7) leers in order to prevent or nations from drawing "wrong lessons" from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to local media reports, his statement was an evident reference to China's growing aggression in Indo-Pacific region. During ongoing G7 summit in Germany, Kishida emphasised significance of security situation surrounding Japan. He highlighted Beijing's deployment of ships to Senkaku Islands' surrounding waters and its gas field explorations in East China Sea as attempts to enact a violent change in status quo. 

"We have seen attempts to change status quo by force continuing and increasing in Indo-Pacific. We need to ensure or countries do t draw wrong lessons from situation in Ukraine," Kishida told his G7 counterparts, Kyodo News reported.

Japanese Prime Minister also called for safeguarding of rules-based international order and demanded that China enhance its nuclear arsenal's transparency.

Japan vows to strengn its military might 

While speaking at G7 conference on diplomacy and security, Kishida also explained that Japan will fundamentally strengn its military within five years with a significant increase in relevant investment. rth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations' spending target for defence budget is 2% of Gross Domestic Product, and Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has requested that Kishida government increase defence budget to at least that level. 

According to reports, Japan has long set a cap on its defence spending of about 1% of GDP, or approximately 5 trillion yen ($37 billion) in recent years.

Kishida to attend upcoming NATO summit 

It is significant to mention here that Kishida would attend a two-day NATO summit beginning on Wednesday, June 29, after G-7 Summit. He will be first Japanese premier to do so as intergovernmental military alliance has invited Asia-Pacific partners such as Japan, South Korea and Australia to meeting.

It is pertinent to mention here that Japan and China are still at odds over uninhabited Senkaku Islands, which are ministered by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing. Ahe of NATO Summit, Japan has also expressed concerns over China's alleged gas extraction in a disputed region of East China Sea. 

(Im: AP)