NEWS

Meeting with Takeshi Akahori, Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and G7/G20 Sherpa, handing over of the C7 Communique

“Summit Watch Japan”, one of working groups of JANIC, has been actively engaging in policy advocacy in cooperation with global civil society towards the G7 and G20 Summits. We are pleased to report that a delegation from civil society recently met with Takeshi Akahori, Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who serves as G7 and G20 Sherpa of the Japanese government.

(From left to right: Masayoshi Iyoda, Masaki Inaba, Aoi Horiuchi, Senior Deputy Minister Akahori, Hinata Nagatomi, Hideki Wakabayashi Wakabayashi)

-Date & Time: Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 13:30–14:00
-Venue: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA)
-NGO Delegation Attendees:

Masayoshi Iyoda (Campaigner, 350.org Japan)
Masaki Inaba (Co-Chair, Africa Japan Forum)
Aoi Horiuchi (Senior Advocacy Officer, Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation [JANIC])
Hinata Nagatomi (Education Program Member, Katawara)
Hideki Wakabayashi (Advocacy Officer, ACE)

At the opening of the meeting, Aoi Horiuchi, who serves as the Civil 7 (C7) Steering Committee and the Civil 20 (C20) International Advisory Committee, provided an overview of this year’s C7 governance structure and working groups. Aoi also presented the C7 Communique, highlighting key demands such as compliance with international law, the expansion of financial assistance, and the protection of civic space.

Following this introduction, Hinata Nagatomi emphasized the ongoing civil society initiatives toward the elimination of nuclear weapons and urged the government to share the collective goal of “nuclear disarmament.” Next, Masayoshi Iyoda requested that the Japanese government, alongside other G7 members, proactively participate in and contribute to international discussions on phasing out fossil fuels. Hideki Wakabayashi then pointed out that development cooperation funding, which faces ongoing reductions, remains indispensable for regional stability, and also called for enhanced efforts to eradicate child labor. Finally, Masaki Inaba advocated for the prioritization of global health policies including measures against AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), dnd urged the government to maintain contributions to international organizations despite the current administration’s focus on “budget reform.”

Senior Deputy Minister Akahori welcomed the recommendations from the C7 and Japanese civil society, expressing his appreciation for the comprehensive proposals. He noted that the ministry is carefully considering how to best utilize the limited Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget. He also touched upon the connection between the French G7 Presidency’s priority of correcting global macroeconomic imbalances and Japan’s own focus on economic security. Furthermore, he introduced ongoing efforts regarding the creation of new international partnerships, including the reform of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and domestic resource mobilization. In terms of engagement with the Global South, the Sherpa stated that the government continues to deliberate from the perspective of how Japan can best contribute to the major shifting trend from “aid to investment.”

The exchange with Deputy Minister Akahori, who plays a critical role in agenda coordination as the “Sherpa” (personal representative of the Prime Minister) for the G7 and G20 Summits, carries significant weight for Japanese civil society organizations in efforts to “implement global policy recommendations locally.” Moving forward, Summit Watch Japan will continue to collaborate with the C7 and C20 networks, using information sharing as a cornerstone to strengthen our advocacy toward achieving policies that leave no one behind.