New Delhi: After Japan foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi decided to skip the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meet, scheduled to start from today in Delhi, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Yamada will represent the country at the meetings, the foreign ministry said in a statement, reported Reuters.
According to a report by the Japan Times, Hayashi would skip the meeting and would instead prioritise parliamentary business, said a government official.
The news of Hayashi not attending the G20 meet has sparked criticism from lawmakers and members of the public from his country on social media who said it was a lost opportunity to show leadership as Japan prepares to host the Group of Seven summit in May.
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“It’s a regrettable decision that means forfeiting a chance to emphasize the importance of the rule of law to the developing countries that take part in G20,” Goshi Hosono, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker said on Twitter.
Hosono, who previously belonged to the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, added that such decisions to prioritise parliament over diplomacy were often made to please the ruling parties. Hayashi had already arranged bilateral discussions with some of his counterparts on the sidelines of the meeting, Kyodo News reported.
The foreign minister’s decision to not attend the G20 meeting comes at a time when Kishida government is making efforts to bolster ties with India amid increasing concerns over China’s assertive behaviour in the region, as well as Russia’s war in Ukraine.
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Additionally, Japan and India had conducted their first joint military air drills in January this year. Kishida’s government is making arrangements to invite Australia and India to the G7 summit in May to discuss issues including Ukraine, nuclear disarmament and climate change, reported public broadcaster NHK.
Last September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Tokyo where he attended the state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and had held talks with PM Kishisda.