TOKYO, March 25. /ITAR-TASS/. Japan’s Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization, Akira Amari, has spoken in favor of restoration of Russia’s involvement in the Group of Eight after the resolution of current problems around Ukraine.
He said it Tuesday at a news conference in Tokyo.
Russia is an important international actor related to the maintenance of global order and it would be desirable for Moscow to regain its position in the G8 after the solution of the problems the world community has pointed out, Amari said.
He said that the sanctions imposed by the U.S., the EU and Japan on Russia do not affect the Japanese economy considerably but an escalation of tensions around Ukraine may exert impact on bilateral trade.
Monday night, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the U.S. issued a statement, which said among other things they were leaving the G8.
The G7 leaders claimed that “this Group came together because of share beliefs and shared responsibilities” but “Russia’s actions in recent weeks” (support for the Crimeans’ referendum on self-determination and reunification with Russia) allegedly were not consistent with them.
“We will suspend our participation in the G-8 until Russia changes course and the environment comes back to where the G-8 is able to have a meaningful discussion and will meet again in G-7 format at the same time as planned, in June 2014, in Brussels, to discuss the broad agenda we have together,” the statement said.
“We have also advised our Foreign Ministers not to attend the April meeting in Moscow. In addition, we have decided that G-7 Energy Ministers will meet to discuss ways to strengthen our collective energy security,” it said.