海角大神

This weekend鈥檚 summit of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies in Hiroshima will include eight other guest nations, part of a complicated, high-stakes diplomatic gambit meant to settle the world鈥檚 most serious crises.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has invited South Korea, Australia, India, Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Comoros, and the Cook Islands.

Mr. Kishida hopes this mix of countries will help efforts to stand up to China鈥檚 assertiveness and Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine, according to analysts. He also wants stronger ties with U.S. allies and with developing nations and to make progress on working toward a nuclear-free world, something that looks increasingly difficult amid North Korean and Russian nuclear threats.

Here鈥檚 a look at what to expect as the rich world leaders welcome these guest countries:

Pushback on China, Russia

As their top diplomats did last month in a meeting in Nagano, Japan, the leaders of the G-7 nations 鈥� the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, and Italy, plus the European Union 鈥� will try to form a unified front against Chinese threats to Taiwan and Russia鈥檚 war on Ukraine.

鈥淭he G-7 is committed to upholding the international order, and most of its members are in Europe, so supporting Ukraine against Russia鈥檚 invasion is a top priority,鈥� said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

鈥淎s the pillar of the G-7 in Asia, Japan is particularly focused on updating the international order to cope with the rise of China,鈥� Mr. Easley said. 鈥淭he Kishida government鈥檚 agenda and special invitations for the Hiroshima summit reflect an effort not to contain China but to expand the international coalition defending standards for state behavior.鈥�

The eight guest nations have complex political and economic ties with China and Russia.

India is part of the Quad group of four Indo-Pacific nations, which also includes the U.S., Japan, and Australia. China has accused that group of representing an 鈥淎sian NATO.鈥� On the Russia-Ukraine war, India has abstained several times from voting on U.N. resolutions against Moscow, though it has stressed the need for diplomacy on ending the war. It鈥檚 boosted its imports of Russian oil.

Brazil is a member of the so-called BRICS group of developing nations, including China, Russia, and India. Brazilian President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva recently visited China to strengthen ties with its biggest trade market. He has also irritated Ukraine and some in the West with his position on the war, recently suggesting that Ukraine cede Crimea to forge peace.

Japan is courting Vietnam because it also has territorial disputes with China, according to Kim Yeol Soo, an expert at South Korea鈥檚 Korea Institute for Military Affairs.

鈥淕lobal South鈥� nations

Mr. Kishida has said his list of guest nations reflects the importance of the 鈥淕lobal South鈥� countries. That鈥檚 a term used for developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

The G-7 nations account for about 40% of the world鈥檚 economic activity, a decrease from an estimated 80% of global gross domestic product in the 1970s.

鈥淲hen the U.N. adopts resolutions, you see a considerable number of its 190 or so member states are 鈥楪lobal South鈥� countries,鈥� said Choi Eunmi, a Japan expert at South Korea鈥檚 Asan Institute Policy Institute.

Indonesia鈥檚 importance for Japan, for instance, is linked to its abundant natural resources and economic potential, said Mr. Kim, the expert from South Korea.

India is this year鈥檚 president of the G-20, which is seen as a crucial bridge between G-7 economies and the Global South. Japan has traditionally had close ties with India, where Mr. Kishida visited in March for a summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In response to questions by The Associated Press, Japan鈥檚 Foreign Ministry said the G-7 and other nations need to cooperate with the Global South to deal with energy, food security, climate change, health, and development issues.

U.S. allies

Japan鈥檚 invitation of South Korea reflects the neighbors鈥� role as staunch U.S. allies with a shared security threat from North Korea鈥檚 advancing nuclear arsenal.

In recent weeks, Mr. Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol have taken major steps to boost security and economic cooperation and to move beyond historical grievances stemming from Japan鈥檚 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry鈥檚 response to an AP query praised Yoon for an 鈥渁ctive diplomacy showing commitment to the peace and prosperity of the region, including announcing the Indo-Pacific strategy.鈥�

Mr. Kishida, Mr. Yoon, and U.S. President Joe Biden are expected to meet on the margins of the G-7 summit to discuss North Korea鈥檚 nuclear ambitions, China鈥檚 growing influence, and the Russian-Ukraine war.

Australia, also a key U.S. ally, has already been closely cooperating with Japan, including on efforts to achieve a 鈥渇ree and open Indo-Pacific,鈥� according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, which called Australia a 鈥渟pecial strategic partner.鈥�

Last year, the two countries signed a new security agreement covering military, intelligence, and cybersecurity cooperation to counter the deteriorating security outlook driven by China鈥檚 increasing assertiveness. It was the first such agreement Japan has struck with any country other than the U.S.

Other issues

Some of the guest nations lead regional and other bodies.

Brazil takes over next year for India as president of the G-20. Indonesia is chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Comoros leads the African Union, and the Cook Islands chairs the Pacific Islands Forum.

Japan is stepping up its security and economic ties with the 18 Pacific Forum countries, partly to counter growing Chinese influence there. Observers say the invitation of the Cook Islands is an expression of Japanese respect to the Pacific nations, where there鈥檚 been worry about the planned release of treated but still radioactive wastewater into the Pacific from Japan鈥檚 tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Mr. Kishida is from Hiroshima, one of the two Japanese cities hit with U.S. atomic bombs at the end of World War II. Holding the summit in his hometown will give him a chance to outline his determination to build a nuclear-free world.

Because of North Korea鈥檚 pursuit of nuclear missiles meant to target the U.S. mainland, 鈥渋t would be a bit awkward if Japan didn鈥檛 include South Korea, which faces North Korea鈥檚 nuclear threats on its doorstep,鈥� said Ms. Choi, the Japan expert.

This story was reported by The Associated Press. Hyung-Jin Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea.