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G7 Hiroshima Foreign Ministers' Meeting
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Laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims
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The G7 Hiroshima Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held on April 10 and 11, 2016, chaired by Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida.
Foreign ministers including US Secretary of State John Kerry,
Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Paolo Gentiloni,
UK Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary Philip Hammond,
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Stephane Dion,
German Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier,
French Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development Jean-Marc Ayrault,
and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, gathered in Hiroshima for the meeting.
They held discussions on urgent global issues such as countermeasures against terrorism and violent fundamentalism, refugee issues, disarmament and nuclear nonproliferation, and maritime security, as well as the regional situation in North Korea, the Middle East and Ukraine.
In response to a proposal from the City of Hiroshima, the program also included a visit to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and a laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims, so that the participants could see the reality of the damage from the bombing and share the desire for peace.
At the Peace Memorial Museum, Foreign Minister Kishida, together with Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, Chairperson of this Foundation Yasuyoshi Komizo, and Director of the Museum Kenji Shiga, gave an explanation about the reality of the bombing to the G7 foreign ministers.
The foreign ministers participated in the tour attentively, and stayed in the museum far longer than originally planned.
At the end of the visit was the signing of the guest book.
US Secretary of State Mr. Kelly wrote
"This memorial compels us all to redouble our efforts to change the world, to find peace and build the future so yearned for by citizens everywhere".
At the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims after this, the foreign ministers were welcomed by Hiroshima City elementary school students, and placed wreaths there.
In response to Secretary Kelly's proposal, there was a sudden change of plans and the group proceeded to the Atomic Bomb Dome.
At the press conference after, Secretary Kelly said that he would definitely report to President Obama on what he had seen there, and communicate to him how important it is to visit Hiroshima.
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Mayor Matsui provides an explanation in front of
Atomic Bomb Dome
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Mayor Matsui and Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture
Hidehiko Yuzaki lead the foreign ministers
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The participants at the meeting this time confirmed the need to send out a strong message to achieve a world without nuclear weapons from the G7 group, which is made up of both nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states, and issued the G7 Foreign Ministers' Hiroshima Declaration on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation.
(Photographs provided by the City of Hiroshima)
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| (Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division) |
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