Takaichi Prioritizes Energy and Food Security at G7 Summit

Takaichi emphasizes energy and food security as key priorities for G7 Evian Summit discussions.

[Contributed Article by Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae to Le Figaro on the Occasion of Her Visit to France] "On the Occasion of the G7 Evian Summit — G7 Unity and the Special Partnership between Japan and France" Looking Ahead to the Evian Summit and Reflecting on President Macron's Visit to Japan Bonjour to the people of France. I am TAKAICHI Sanae, Prime Minister of Japan. I am delighted to be visiting the beautiful city of Evian to attend the G7 Summit. In April this year, I had the pleasure of welcoming President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs. Macron to Tokyo, which was a highly meaningful and productive opportunity. I am equally pleased to have the opportunity to visit France on this occasion. The Challenges Facing the G7 and the Significance of the Evian Summit The G7 Evian Summit comes at a critically important moment. The leaders of the G7, who share fundamental values and strategic interests such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, will gather together to engage in frank and intensive discussions. Through clear messages backed by concrete action, I hope this Summit will demonstrate once again the determination and capability of the G7 to lead the international community in addressing the challenges before us. Under the leadership of President Macron, I am confident that this year’s G7 Evian Summit will produce meaningful and tangible outcomes. Priorities for the Evian Summit There are three issues that I will place particular emphasis on at this Summit. First, responding to the situation in the Middle East and strengthening energy and food security. As a country with limited natural resources, Japan has long confronted the challenges of energy security. I intend to contribute Japan’s experience and expertise actively to the discussions among G7 leaders. Japan has launched the Partnership for Strengthening Asia’s Energy and Resource Supply Resilience (POWERR Asia), which addresses both immediate and structural challenges. This includes emergency responses such as securing supplies of crude oil and petroleum products across Asia, as well as longer-term efforts to establish stockpiling and release systems, secure critical minerals, diversify energy sources, and promote industrial upgrading. Second, advancing the updated vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). Guided by the principles of freedom, openness, diversity, inclusiveness, and the rule of law, FOIP has resonated with a growing number of countries and has influenced foreign policy making around the world. Against the backdrop of an increasingly severe international environment, I believe it is essential for countries to strengthen the autonomy and resilience necessary to shape their own futures. Based on this conviction, I announced the updated FOIP in May this year, identifying three priority areas: building economic ecosystems for the age of AI and data, co-creating economic frontiers through public-private partnerships, and expanding security cooperation. Cooperation with France, a nation with territories and responsibilities in the Pacific, will become ever more import