At the Japan-Germany summit, an agreement was reached on “sharing democracy, resolving economic security, and eliminating Chinese prejudice,” and the “expanding freedom” that South Korea demanded of Japan was excluded.
At the summit with Germany held on the 18th at the residence of the Japanese Prime Minister, the joint statement on “strengthening cooperation in the field of economic security” stated that “the G7 will resolve economic security issues.”
In a report from the summit, Yomiuri said, "At the first intergovernmental meeting attended by leaders and ministers from Japan and Germany, the two countries confirmed that they would strengthen cooperation with China in mind." As chair country, we hope to work closely with Europe's leader Germany and send a unified message to China at the G7 summit."
Yomiuri continued, “After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany strengthened its ties with Japan, which shares values such as democracy. “The Scholz administration sees Japan’s efforts to reduce dependence on certain countries as a model, including support for semiconductor production and stockpiling,” he said. The establishment of a joint cooperation system was reported as an outcome of the summit.
Regarding 'economic security', which is the agenda of the German government meeting, a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said, "It was a topic discussed at the summit, and the goal was to focus the policy toward China on the economy." If we don't coordinate on this economic security, the unity of the G7 will be broken," he told Yomiuri.
Regarding the 'intergovernmental talks' attended by the foreign, finance and defense ministers of the two countries, Yomiuri said, "Intergovernmental consultations are a framework for discussing various issues with countries with which Germany has strategic links. The meeting with Japan was proposed by Prime Minister Scholz at the Japan-Germany summit in April last year,” he said. We have agreed to work together to do this.”
"In order to maintain and strengthen the free and open international order, Japan and Germany must further strengthen cooperation and collaboration," Prime Minister Kishida said at a joint press conference that day.
President Yoon Seok-yeol said at a press conference for the Korea-Japan summit two days ago, "Now that the values of liberal democracy are facing serious challenges, the need for cooperation between the two countries is growing more and more." He emphasized 'freedom' as the closest neighbor and partner to cooperate in sharing and pursuing common interests in security, economy and global agenda.
In a statement from the Korea-Japan summit, President Yoon said, “Korea and Japan are the closest neighbors and partners to cooperate, sharing universal values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, and pursuing common interests in security, economy, and global agendas.” However, unlike the Japanese announcement, there is no mention of 'free sharing' at all.
President Yoon's statement said, “We will closely cooperate with the international community in the process of promoting Korea's 'Indo-Pacific Strategy of Freedom, Peace and Prosperity' and Japan's 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific'. In addition, as the international order based on universal values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law has achieved peace and prosperity in the world, we have decided to join forces to preserve it.”
Prime Minister Kisida’s statement read, “At a turning point in history, we confirmed the importance of realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific, and felt the need for countries of the same mind to join forces to preserve a free and open international order based on the rule of law. The gap between the two countries was widened with 'freedom of the rule of law', and the 'rules-based international order' was specified in the joint declaration of the summit with Germany.
Regarding the countries invited to the G7 summit in Hiroshima, “Prime Minister Kishida confirmed his intention to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in May, and plans to request a visit to Japan during his meeting with Prime Minister Modi on the 20th,” he said. We have Brazilian President Lo Lula da Silva and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) president,” Yomiuri said.
Yomiuri then reported, “Korea is making final preparations to invite President Yoon Seok-yeol, who presented a solution to the ‘former conscripted laborer’ lawsuit.”