Latest news with #ofSeven
19 hours ago
- Politics
Ishiba Calls for Expanding Japan-South Korea Exchanges
News from Japan Politics Jun 20, 2025 12:30 (JST) Tokyo, June 20 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called for expanding exchanges between his country and South Korea as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries. "We want to pass on the baton of exchanges we have nurtured to the next generation while further broadening the scope of Japan-South Korea cooperation," Ishiba said in a speech at a reception hosted by the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo on Thursday to commemorate the anniversary. Ishiba said that he had very good discussions with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung when they met in Canada on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit. "As the strategic environment surrounding Japan and South Korea is becoming increasingly severe, let's take a new step toward a better future hand in hand," the prime minister stressed. Meanwhile, South Korean Ambassador to Japan Park Cheol-hee said that the bilateral relations have continuously deepened despite twists and turns in the past. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Politico
a day ago
- Politics
- Politico
Trump to make a decision on Iran within two weeks
President Donald Trump has set a two week deadline to decide if the United States will strike Iran. 'Based on the fact that there is a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place in the near future, I will make my decision of whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday, reading a statement from the president to reporters. Leavitt said Trump would prefer a diplomatic solution, but the president — in consultation with the National Security Council — is weighing U.S. military intervention to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, according to a recent POLITICO report. The U.S. is the only country with the military capacity to destroy Iran's nuclear program. 'Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon,' Leavitt said. 'All they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that, and it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon, which would of course pose an existential threat not just to Israel, but to the United States and to the entire world.' The comments came at the end of a week of heightened tension in the decades-long conflict between Israel and Iran. As Iran and Israel lobbed rockets at each other, Trump left the Group of Seven conference early and has convened multiple meetings in the Situation Room. The conflict has divided Trump's coalition, driving a rift between an isolationist faction and hawks who have long sought to hobble Iran. Leavitt said Trump has long maintained his position that the U.S. should interfere to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and quoted his comments on the subject from more than a decade ago. 'The president has made it clear he always wants to pursue diplomacy, but believe me, the president is unafraid to use strength as necessary,' Leavitt said. 'And Iran and the entire world should know that the United States military is the strongest and most lethal fighting force in the world, and we have capabilities that no other country on this planet possesses.' Leavitt declined to answer whether the president wanted regime change in Iran, which has been a goal of hawks like Sen. Lindsey Graham and a red line for MAGA isolationists.
The Star
2 days ago
- Business
- The Star
South Korea President Lee wraps up G7 summit with 'new leap forward in diplomacy'
CALGARY, (Canada)/SEOUL: President Lee Jae Myung wrapped up Wednesday (June 18) his three-day visit to Canada, where he attended the Group of Seven summit as a guest — a milestone his administration has touted as the restoration of South Korea's summit diplomacy. Before heading back to Seoul, Lee hailed the G7 summit and a flurry of bilateral talks as 'signaling a new leap forward in South Korea's diplomacy,' in a post on his Facebook account. The trip, which marked Lee's debut on the global stage just two weeks after taking office, served as an opportunity for the new president to reassure South Korea's international partners of its economic and security stability, according to his office. The G7 Summit offered Lee an early platform to engage with the G7 leaders and other invited heads of state, allowing him to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties while outlining his vision for 'pragmatic diplomacy,' his office said. According to officials, many of the leaders he met commended South Korea's recent restoration of democratic stability following its domestic political crisis. "South Korea's summit diplomacy has been fully restored," Wi Sung-lac, director of the presidential National Security Office, told reporters Tuesday. "Amid the seismic shift in the world's economic security landscape, South Korea actively engaged in discussions over global current affairs while manifesting (South Korea's) visions and roles," he added. According to the presidential office, Lee delivered remarks twice during the expanded G7 summit session on Tuesday afternoon. Behind closed doors, Lee's remarks heralded South Korea's vision of seeking international cooperation to make artificial intelligence technology available to all humankind, in line with his campaign pledges. Lee proposed the idea of turning South Korea into the "leading AI hub" through the so-called "nationwide AI transformation" bolstered by aggressive tax relief, a deregulatory push and a private-sector fund composed of contributions from ordinary citizens. Lee also noted in his remarks that increased electricity consumption due to the rise of AI highlights the importance of robust energy security and stability in supply chains of energy-related critical minerals. To achieve this, Lee expressed his determination to seek stronger ties with producers of critical minerals through bilateral and multilateral partnerships. Related moves are already underway, including South Korea's participation in the Minerals Security Partnership and the launch of a critical minerals dialogue between South Korea and Africa. Lee also proposed the launch of energy infrastructure with enhanced efficiency, including projects such as the so-called "energy highway," or ultrahigh-voltage direct current transmission cables built underwater. He also proposed the introduction of microgrids, energy storage systems, and an AI-powered electricity supply system to boost efficiency. Moreover, as a G7 guest, Lee signed two documents at the summit, which are the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter and the G7 Critical Mineral Action Plan. "These achievements clearly proved South Korea's status as a 'G7 Plus' country," Wi said, suggesting that Lee's attendance boded well for the Lee administration's efforts to position South Korea for inclusion in a potential expanded G7 forum. A widely anticipated meeting between Lee and US President Donald Trump did not ultimately occur during his three-day visit, as the US leader abruptly cut short his trip late Monday amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran. Lee's office said it will continue to seek a one-on-one meeting with Trump at an early date, aiming to inject momentum into ongoing working-level trade talks between Seoul and Washington. The talks are under growing time pressure, with a 90-day pause on proposed 25 percent "reciprocal" tariffs set to expire on July 9. One possible venue for a bilateral meeting is the upcoming NATO summit in the Netherlands, scheduled for June 24–25 should both leaders attend. - The Korea Herald/ANN
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Germany's Merz sparks backlash by saying Israel doing ‘the dirty work' for West
dpa Berlin German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has caused a stir at home after suggesting that Israel, which launched large-scale attacks on Iran last week, was doing 'the dirty work' for the West. The remarks, made at the end of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada, drew ire from German politicians on Wednesday, including from members of Merz's coalition partner. Ralf Stegner, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), told Der Spiegel news magazine that it was 'more than strange' that 'the chancellor says that Israel is doing our dirty work for us in Iran.' He said Merz's statement suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attack against Iran 'was presumably contrary to international law.' Stegner said it was completely inappropriate for a representative of Germany to publicly express relief in light of the escalating conflict in the Middle East, with Iran having launched a number of retaliatory attacks since Israeli strikes began on Friday. Speaking at the end of a meeting of the world's seven major industrialized nations, Merz on Tuesday told German public broadcaster ZDF that Israel is currently doing 'the dirty work' for the entire West. 'I can only say that I have the utmost respect for the Israeli army for having the courage to do this, and for the Israeli leadership for having the courage to do this,' he said. While Sören Pellmann, head of the far-left The Left party in parliament, accused the German leader of 'throwing international law overboard,' Anton Hofreiter, from the opposition Greens, told broadcaster Welt TV that he thought Merz's choice of words had been 'clumsy.' Germany has been one of Israel's fiercest backers throughout the country's military campaign in Gaza. Following Israel's attacks on Iran, the conservative-led government in Berlin did not condemn the strikes but stressed Israel's right to self-defence. When confronted with the criticism in Berlin on Wednesday, Merz brushed off the comments. 'This statement has received overwhelming approval,' he said, claiming there had only been a few critical voices and refusing to comment further.
Kyodo News
2 days ago
- Business
- Kyodo News
PM Ishiba says Japan Inc. suffering under Trump tariffs
KYODO NEWS - 11 hours ago - 11:57 | All, Japan Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday that U.S. tariffs are already severely impacting many Japanese firms, including automakers, but reiterated that he will not rush to reach a deal with Washington at the expense of undermining his nation's interests. Speaking at a press conference wrapping up his visit to Canada for the Group of Seven summit, Ishiba said the tariff measures targeting various sectors could have a "serious impact on the global economy both directly and indirectly." Ishiba made the remarks a day after he and Trump failed to agree on what the Japanese leader has called a "package deal" for the mutual benefit of the longtime allies. They ended their talks without having made tangible progress, with Ishiba saying hurdles remain. "We agreed to instruct ministers to continue with negotiations," Ishiba said. "We will never sacrifice our national interests just because we aim for a quick agreement." Bilateral negotiations have been held multiple times at the ministerial level, covering points such as boosting trade, addressing nontariff measures and expanding cooperation in economic security. After Monday's summit, the focus shifts to when the next in-person encounter may be. Ishiba said he plans to visit the Netherlands from June 24 to 26 to attend a NATO summit. Japan is not a NATO member but has been deepening ties with the military alliance, of which the United States is a member. The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran dominated the two-day G7 summit due to its ramifications for the wider Middle East region, home to major oil producers that supply Japan and many other nations. "We will continue to monitor how crude oil and gasoline prices move with a strong sense of urgency," Ishiba said. "I've already instructed officials to consider measures to prevent people's daily lives from being affected in preparation for the possibility that the confusion in the Middle East continues and prices of gasoline and oil products spike," he added. Related coverage: Japan, U.S. fail to reach tariff deal at Ishiba-Trump summit Trump says he sees chance of trade deal with "tough" Japan G7 leaders agree to expand critical minerals cooperation
