Lula to discuss food security, climate change, and the world health system during a trip to Japan

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva traveled today (17) to Japan to participate in the expanded G7 summit in Hiroshima. Lula will attend three thematic summit meetings and other bilateral meetings with several heads of state between Friday and Sunday.

In April, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida invited the Brazilian President to the annual meeting of the group of seven of the world's most industrialized nations – Japan, Germany, Canada, the US, France, Italy, and the UK.

The main topics to be addressed at the Summit are food security; inflation and the high indebtedness of developing nations; combating climate change; strengthening the world health system; and the war in Ukraine.

Heads of state from Australia, the Union of Comoros Islands (presidency of the African Union), the Cook Islands (presidency of the Pacific Islands Forum), Indonesia (presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), India (presidency of the G-20), Indonesia, Vietnam, and South Korea were also invited.

Representatives from the European Union, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank, and other international organizations are also going to participate.

This will be Lula's third official visit to Japan: he was there in 2005 for a bilateral meeting and in 2008 for the G8+5 summit in Hokkaido. This will also be Lula's seventh participation in G7 summits as President of Brazil: he participated in the six editions of the meeting held between 2003 and 2009 during his first two terms in office.

MULTILATERAL AGENDA - After arriving on Friday morning, President Lula will attend at least three bilateral meetings in Hiroshima. Talks are planned with the Japanese premier, Fumio Kishida, and with the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. Other governments have also expressed interest in meeting with the Brazilian President, pending confirmation.

On Saturday, at 3:00 PM (local time), Lula will participate in the first scheduled thematic meeting; contemporary challenges such as food security, health, and democracy are on the agenda. Next, at 5:20 PM, discussions will be focused on environmental challenges, climate change, and energy transition.

On Sunday, heads of state will visit the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima at 8:00 AM (local time). The summit's last thematic meeting will occur at 9:30 AM and deal with peace, prosperity, and development.

BILATERAL PARTNERSHIP - Brazil and Japan are traditional partners at different levels and sectors, be it trade, services, or technical cooperation – and many human bonds. Brazil harbors the world's largest population of Japanese descendants: over 2 million residents. Japan, in turn, is home to the world's fifth largest community of Brazilians abroad: around 204,000 people.

In 2022, trade between the two countries reached USD 11.9 billion – an 11.4% increase compared to 2021. Brazilian exports to Japan reached USD 6.6 billion (19.2% more than the previous year), and exports rose to USD 5.3 billion. Japan thus became Brazil's 10th largest trading partner over the last year and its 3rd main partner in Asia, behind only China and India.

Brazil exports most to Japan corn, iron ore, chicken, coffee, aluminum, and soy. It imports auto parts, chemical compounds, machinery, and equipment from Japan.

ABOUT THE G7 - The G7 was established in the 1970s by the world's then-seven largest economies to discuss and coordinate common strategies on matters of global interest.

In addition to Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom, the European Union also participates in the meetings as an "unlisted member." Of the eight largest current economies, only China, the second largest, does not participate.

The G7 summit takes place annually in the country that holds the group's temporary presidency. Several other meetings are held simultaneously between ministers from various fields to discuss specific issues in their agendas. In the end, the invited countries participate in the expanded meetings – just as will happen this weekend with the presence of Lula.

Last week, Brazil's Finance Minister Fernando Haddad visited Japan to participate in G7 sectoral meetings between member countries' Finance and Economy ministers. It was the first time a Brazilian minister was invited to the summit.