Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends an online summit meeting of the Group of Seven with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy shown on the screen on Feb. 24. (Provided by the Cabinet Public Relations Office)

The leaders of the Group of Seven democracies need to humbly learn the gruesome history of the atomic bombings, search for ways to end a horrific war now raging in Europe and ponder the future of the world order. In the nearly half-century of holding G-7 summits, this one is as important as any because the leaders face an almost unprecedented list of formidable challenges.

This year’s G-7 summit started May 19 in Hiroshima. The summiteers will discuss key policy issues across a wide range of areas, including the economy, security, food and public health--until May 21.

First, they need to figure out how to apply the lessons of history to the current world order. Using the experience of the A-bombed city as a guiding compass, they must find ways to resolve conflicts peacefully and prevent the catastrophe of nuclear war.

The G-7 leaders visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and spent about 40 minutes there. According to Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, who guided the party, everyone had a “serious expression.” We want to hear what the leaders thought and felt when they saw the exhibits.

We are eager to hear about U.S. President Joe Biden’s reaction since the United States dropped the atomic bomb on the city. All nations must face up to the reality that the nuclear devastation in Hiroshima cannot be deemed as a thing of the past.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose country is under the threat of a nuclear attack right now, is also taking part in the summit. The war in Ukraine is one of the largest armed conflicts in postwar Europe. It is unusual for the G-7 nations to find themselves making a collective response to a war that poses a direct threat to their own security.

Their May 19 statement on Ukraine reiterated their “commitment to provide the financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support” and stressed they are united in imposing coordinated sanctions against Russia.

While urging “Russia to stop its ongoing aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops and military equipment from” Ukraine, the statement also referred repeatedly to “third countries.” While mentioning “actions against third-country actors who materially support Russia’s war,” the statement also emphasized their commitment to address the growing needs of vulnerable countries that have suffered food shortages and other effects of the war. This reflects another key challenge confronting the G-7: building good working relations with emerging and developing countries collectively referred to as “Global South.”

Many countries view Russia’s aggression as a violation of international law, but only a limited number have joined the sanctions imposed on Russia by the G-7. India and Brazil, which were invited to take part in the summit, have also refrained from punishing Moscow. Many countries suffering from conflict and poverty around the world are casting a cold eye at the confrontation between the G-7 and the Russia-China partnership.

The G-7 has long pledged to help developing countries in their efforts to tackle debt problems and achieve development. One vital lesson to be learned from the war in Ukraine is that cooperation between emerging and developing countries is essential for building an international order based on the rule of law.

The G-7 should humbly listen to what the invited countries say. The leaders gathered in Hiroshima need to reflect on the gross absurdity of the situation in which a small number of powerful nations, including China and Russia, are vying for global hegemony with huge nuclear arsenals that could destroy the entire world.

--The Asahi Shimbun, May 20

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