Japan PM Takaichi defends skipping G7 online meeting

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi defended her absence from a Group of Seven online meeting, responding over social media to some critics who questioned why she did not attend despite her apparently free schedule.

“This was a last-minute meeting arranged by the chair, France, and allowed for substitute representatives. I understand that UK Prime Minister Burnham did not attend in person and had someone fill in for him, and that European Council president Costa was also absent,” she posted on Monday evening.

She was at her official residence and was not meeting anyone while the meeting was being held, according to local media.

The post underscores her preference to pore over documents and work solo from home. In late August, the Nikkei newspaper reported that Takaichi had not left her official residence on most weekends and public holidays since becoming prime minister, in comparison to the previous three prime ministers who spent between 3 per cent and 16 per cent of weekends and public holidays entirely at home.

Takaichi did not offer a specific reason for her absence, but her post suggested the short notice and agenda, which focused on coordinating a response to diesel prices in Europe and the US, were factors in her decision not to attend.

“While the outcome of this meeting was a decision to implement a coordinated release of 100 million barrels of oil reserves, Japan has already been releasing reserves and has no plans for any new measures at this time,” she said. Kazuya Endo, the deputy minister for foreign affairs, filled in for her, Takaichi added.

Michito Tsuruoka, a professor at Keio University specialising in global security, questioned the reasoning behind Takaichi’s decision to skip the session.

“It’s a poor move to suggest that the absence was acceptable simply because the issue at hand primarily concerned the West. Such a rationale implies that Western nations could likewise skip meetings when the focus shifts to issues involving Asia or China,” he wrote on social media. “The G7 has long pursued the principle that its members’ concerns are inextricably linked,” he added.

The G7 is a bloc consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The EU is also represented within the G7.

Takaichi also opted out of attending an online meeting regarding the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, hosted by France and the UK in April. She instead issued a written message and had Keiichi Ichikawa, a senior diplomat and secretary general of the National Security Secretariat, attend in her place.

An analysis of her official schedule through July showed she met finance ministry officials 50 per cent less often than the country’s previous two leaders and held the fewest Cabinet Office meetings of any prime minister over the past 14 years.