Ishiba Urged the Leaders to Maintain International Order

In the summit meeting of Group 20 (G20) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba urged the leaders to take responsibility for maintaining international order. Raising poverty, climate change, natural disaster and military conflict as international issues requiring urgent solution, he stressed necessity of sharing a common goal, instead of division and opposition. It sounded like protesting a leader of the super power who upholds a concept of putting the highest priority on its own interest. 

The Leaders’ Declaration of G20 urged all states to refrain from use threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. “We affirm that all parties must comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and in this regard condemn all attacks against civilians and infrastructure,” says the declaration without quoting the name of Russia or Israel.

 

On economy, the declaration refers to multiple challenges and downside risks amid growing uncertainty. Although the uncertainty is mainly discussed in the context of international inflation, an apparent concern is how next president of the United States will apply trade policy, which is supposed to be imposing high tariff on its importing goods. The declaration pointed out economic interdependence on “open trade policies consistent with WTO rules.”

 

Ishiba argued that the world stood at “a historical inflection point.” “Japan would like to emphasize,” said Ishiba in his remark to G20 leaders, “that the key to the international cooperation in these turbulent times is to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law and to build global governance with shared responsibility.”

 

Meanwhile, Ishiba denounced Russia’s aggression against Ukraine as a clear challenge to international order, while expressing strong concern on humanitarian situation in the Middle East. Ishiba also emphasized responsibility of G20 to simultaneously realize climate action, economic growth and energy security. The policies raised by Ishiba may harmonize with current Biden administration of the U.S., but oppose to the idea of President-elect Donald Trump who may stand on the side of Russia or Israel, and defy international obligation of reducing greenhouse gas emission.

 

Ishiba made efforts to stretch Japan’s wing for international cooperation. In the meeting with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, in Rio de Janeiro, both leaders agreed on launching new ministerial meeting on economy, which was called “economic two-plus-two.” For Japan and the U.K., both are dependent on international free trade, it is necessary to prepare for economic risks stemming from protectionism by incoming Trump administration.