PM Modi meets Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol

PM Modi, on May 20, unveiled Mahatma Gandhi’s bust in Hiroshima. He met his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

“This bust in Hiroshima gives a very important message. The Gandhian ideals of peace and harmony reverberate globally and give strength to millions,” he tweeted.

The External Affairs Ministry said Mahatma Gandhi’s bust, a gift from India to the city of Hiroshima, is a befitting tribute to a city that symbolises humanity’s yearning for peace.

On May 19, it may be mentioned the summit’s host, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and his wife, Yuko, welcomed leaders and their spouses at the entrance to the city’s Peace Memorial Museum, where they viewed graphic reminders of the attack on the city on August 6, 1945, and its gruesome aftermath.

The G7 Summit has chosen several key priorities for the current Presidency. The broad terms of the G7 Summit preferences include nuclear disarmament, economic resilience and security,
regional issues, climate and energy, food and health and development.

PM Modi met his host and Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida and others. The discussions with Fumio Kishida also included matters pertaining to India’s G-20 Presidency in 2023.

“Had an excellent meeting with PM @kishida230 this morning. We reviewed the full range of India-Japan relations and also discussed the focus areas of India’s G-20 Presidency and Japan’s G-7 Presidency towards making our planet better”. They also exchanged views on contemporary regional developments and deepening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Both the leaders also discussed ways to further strengthen the bilateral special strategic and global partnership.

Discussions were also held on education, skill development, tourism, Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE), green hydrogen, high technology, semiconductors and digital public infrastructure. Combating terrorism and reform of the United Nations was also discussed.

PM Modi will also hold a series of bilateral discussions with the leaders of Vietnam, France, and Ukraine. A QUAD Leaders Meeting is also scheduled for later on May 20.

PM Modi also held talks with Korean President Yoon Suk Yeo.

“We talked about ways to enhance cooperation in futuristic sectors like IT, innovation, technology, semiconductors and more. Boosting commercial linkages and defence ties also featured prominently in the discussions,” PM Modi wrote on the micro-blogging site.

India and the Republic of Korea share a warm friendship and deep-rooted cultural linkages.

“Today’s talks focused on ways to further cement this friendship in key developmental sectors,” a PMO tweet said.

Among others, PM Modi met Hiroko Takayama, a “respected artist who has a close association with India”.

PM Modi wrote on Twitter: “She has worked extensively on enhancing the cultural bonds between India and Japan. She also presented her artwork to me”.

PM Modi also shared his experience of interaction with a linguist from Japan who is incidentally also a Padma awardee.

“In Hiroshima, I was glad to interact with Professor Tomio Mizokami. A Padma Awardee, he is a distinguished Hindi and Punjabi linguist,” PM Modi tweeted.

“He (Tomio) has made numerous efforts to make Indian culture and literature popular among the people of Japan, PM Modi said.

Earlier on his arrival, PM Modi was given a grand welcome by the Indian diaspora.

“I am grateful to Hiroshima’s Indian community for a memorable welcome to the city,” PM Modi said.

India’s regular participation at the G7 Summits clearly points to increasing recognition that India is always part of any serious global effort to resolve challenges, including those of security, terror, development and environment. It is to be noted that the Partner countries at the G7 Summit this year include Brazil and Indonesia, which, together with India, make the outgoing and incoming G20 troika countries.

Japan has also invited Australia, Brazil, Comoros, Cook Islands, Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam and some international organisations, including the UN.

Of course, it ought to be stated that the G7 leaders have laid flowers at a memorial to the victims of the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima in a sombre opening to a summit overshadowed by fears of a potential
nuclear conflict in Ukraine.