Japan PM Takaichi defends absence from G7 video summit
In short
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae did not take part in a G7 online summit held on the night of Oct 2, Japan time, sending a foreign ministry official in her place, and explained the absence in a post on X on Oct 5 evening. She said the meeting had been arranged hastily by chair France that day and that proxy attendance was allowed, adding that Japan has already been releasing oil reserves and will not carry out a new release after the summit decided a coordinated release.
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Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae did not take part in a G7 online summit held on the night of Oct 2, Japan time, and Endo Kazuya, a foreign ministry official, attended in her place, according to Yonhap. The same meeting ended with the G7 deciding to release oil reserves jointly, the report said. [ 1 ]
The absence drew criticism as unusual for a G7 summit, and Japanese media reported that Takaichi was at her residence during the hours the meeting was held and was not in meetings or talks, Yonhap reported. She and the Japanese government then moved to explain. [ 1 ]
In a post on X on the evening of Oct 5, Takaichi said the meeting had been arranged at short notice by chair France on the same day and that proxy attendance was accepted. She said the discussion took place against the backdrop of surging diesel prices and delays in European reserve releases, and focused in particular on responses to diesel prices in Europe and the United States, arguing that Japan was not at the centre of the agenda. She added that British Prime Minister Burnham also did not attend and sent a representative, and that she understood European Council President António Costa was also absent. [ 1 ]
Takaichi also said the meeting decided to carry out a coordinated release of 100 million barrels of oil reserves, but that Japan had already been releasing reserves and would not carry out a new release this time. [ 1 ]
Yonhap reported that a photo of the meeting posted on X by the IEA director general showed French President Emmanuel Macron and the German, Italian and Canadian prime ministers along with Endo, while US President Donald Trump appeared by name only with his camera off. The photo was later reported to have been deleted. [ 1 ]
Newsis also reported that Takaichi did not attend the G7 video summit and explained the matter herself, running AP photographs of her with Trump at the UN headquarters in New York on Sept 22, without adding further details on the meeting. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The summit produced a joint decision on releasing oil reserves, so Japan's role and its stated refusal to make a new release are of interest beyond Tokyo. The handling of the prime minister's absence has become a domestic political question, with the government offering its own account of why she did not appear.
Key facts
- Takaichi Sanae did not attend the G7 online summit held on the night of Oct 2, Japan time. [ 1 ]
- Japan's foreign ministry official Endo Kazuya attended in her place. [ 1 ]
- The summit decided that G7 members would release oil reserves jointly; Takaichi said the result was a decision to carry out a coordinated release of 100 million barrels. [ 1 ]
- Takaichi said the meeting was arranged at short notice by chair France on the same day and that proxy attendance was accepted. [ 1 ]
- She said British Prime Minister Burnham and European Council President António Costa also did not attend and sent representatives. [ 1 ]
- She said Japan had already been releasing reserves and would not carry out a new release this time. [ 1 ]
- The IEA director general's photo of the meeting, later deleted, showed the French, German, Italian and Canadian leaders and Endo, with US President Donald Trump shown by name only and his camera off. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Takaichi Sanae did not attend the G7 video summit and issued an explanation of the absence herself. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The G7 online summit took place on the night of Oct 2, Japan time, and decided on a joint release of oil reserves. [ 1 ]
- Endo Kazuya of Japan's foreign ministry attended in the prime minister's place. [ 1 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Japan will take part in the coordinated release agreed at the summit Takaichi said Japan will not carry out a new release, while the summit decided on a joint release of reserves; the documents do not reconcile the two.
- Why the IEA director general's photo of the meeting was deleted The document says only that the photo was later reported to have been deleted, without giving a reason.
- Whether other leaders were absent as Takaichi stated The claim that the British prime minister and the European Council president also did not attend comes from Takaichi's own post and is not corroborated by another source in the documents.
- Donald Trump's participation in the meeting The photo showed him by name only with his camera off, and the documents do not say whether he took part.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- G7 online summit is held; Takaichi does not attend and Endo Kazuya attends in her place; the summit decides on a joint release of oil reserves. [ 1 ]
- Takaichi posts on X that the meeting was hastily arranged by chair France and that proxy attendance was allowed. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap publishes its report on the controversy and the prime minister's explanation. [ 1 ]
- Newsis publishes its report repeating that Takaichi explained the absence directly. [ 2 ]