Japanese PM Fumio Kishida on Sunday hailed India's leadership at the G20 Summit 2023 as it brought together the member nations and built a consensus over the Delhi Declaration. "Under the leadership of India as this year's chair, we were able to agree on the G20 Leaders' declaration which is a truly meaningful achievement. Japan has been engaged in the negotiations with the intent to pass on the outcome of the G7 to the G20 and we were able to head over to the G20 points that were confirmed at the Hiroshima Summit. I look forward to working with other leaders to follow up on the outcomes delivered by the G7 and G20," he said.
G20 leaders adopted the Joint Declaration at the New Delhi G20 Summit on Saturday, despite several challenges concerning the Russia-Ukraine war. Earlier, G20 members Russia and China had said they wouldn’t agree to a joint statement if the Ukraine war is mentioned in it. The EU and the G7, on the other hand, had said they would not support a joint statement unless its language is not a sharp criticism of Russia.
"On Russia's aggression in Ukraine, Japan throughout the meetings pressed for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and the realisation of just and durable peace in Ukraine. We underscored our position that Russia's nuclear threat, let alone its use of nuclear weapons, is absolutely unacceptable. I also highlighted the importance of assistance from the global community to vulnerable populations under conflict," Kishida said.
However, all G20 nations discussed and there was "100% consensus" on the joint declaration. The joint declaration reads: "We note with deep concern the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world. Concerning the war in Ukraine, while recalling the discussion in Bali, we reiterated our national positions and resolutions adopted at the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly and underscored that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety."
"In line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible," it further reads.
Stressing that "today’s era must not be of war", the declaration says: "We will unite in our endeavour to address the adverse impact of the war on the global economy and welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine that will uphold all the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter for the promotion of peaceful, friendly, and good neighbourly relations among nations in the spirit of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’."