June 11, 2025
TOKYO – Group of Seven nations are planning to forgo issuing a leaders’ declaration at their summit in Kananaskis, Canada, according to Japanese government sources.
Their aim is apparently to avoid highlighting the rifts between the United States and other G7 members, including Canada, the chair of the meeting, and Japan.
The G7 summit will be held on June 15-17. It will be the first summit of the group for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
If a declaration is not issued, it would be the first time since 2007. That year, only the chair’s summary was produced.
Following Russia’s ouster from the Group of Eight industrialized countries in 2014, after Moscow annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula , declarations and other joint documents have been released by all G7 summits, including those during the first Trump administration.
The Canadian government has not joined the efforts to compile a declaration at this stage, and preparations are underway to announce only outcome documents on specific themes such as the supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence, on which Trump places great importance.
The G7 has traditionally promoted free trade, but Trump has been strengthening protectionist moves.
There are also gaps between the United States and other G7 countries over support for Ukraine, which is under invasion by Russia. “Canada is taking a realistic approach,” a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.