Motegi Urges G7 Cooperation in FOIP Push, Meeting Joint Statement Notes Opposition to Unilateral Changes to Status Quo

By Koji Sobata / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

14:33 JST, November 14, 2025

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Canada — Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi called for cooperation in promoting the concept of a free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) at the Group of Seven Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in eastern Canada.

Motegi made a considerable effort to promote the FOIP, a priority of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet, though the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East occupied the bulk of the discussion during the meeting held Tuesday and Wednesday.

“By incorporating perspectives from the Indo-Pacific region, we were able to advance substantive dialogue toward realizing concrete cooperation,” Motegi told reporters following the conclusion of the meeting.

On the first day, the meeting was primarily focused on the situation in the Middle East, so they were unable to discuss the Indo-Pacific issue, according to sources who accompanied Motegi.

During the second day of discussions, which focused on maritime security, Motegi emphasized the importance of a rules-based FOIP and called for coordination with the G7 and other like-minded countries.

The joint statement released Wednesday noted strong opposition to attempts to unilaterally change the status quo, including in the East and South China Seas, and explicitly expressed concern over China’s military buildup and rapid increase in the number of nuclear weapons.