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Leaders of the G7 group of major developed nations have unanimously promised to support Ukraine in efforts to repel Russian aggression and welcomed the agreement between the United States and Iran to end hostilities that have wrought destruction throughout the mideast region and disrupted economic life around the globe. The G7 leaders continue to face a host of daunting global challenges in a time of disruption, upheaval, and polarization – a fact the leaders acknowledged in their own statement at the conclusion of their gathering thins week. Multilateralism was one of the key themes cited by leaders of the Church in G7 countries ahead of the June 15-17 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France. The bishops of the G7 nations issued a statement ahead of the annual summit, calling for attention to multilateralism and the rule of law, protection of the human person and especially of young people in the digital age, and responsible care for the created order. In an exclusive interview with Crux Now, the cardinal-archbishop of Tokyo – the capital archdiocese of Japan, a G7 nation – said the Church leaders felt they “have a responsibility to continue speaking from the perspective of the common good.” The G7 leaders’ final statement also expressed support for an international mission to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. That mission would be jointly led by the U.K. and France. The leaders also discussed developing alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical supply route through which as much as a quarter of the world’s energy would pass every day, until hostilities halted shipping almost entirely earlier this year. Observers saw the leaders’ convergence on an increasingly thorny issue – Ukraine – as something of a surprise, while global markets continued to respond positively in the wake of the U.S.-Iran peace deal. The G7 leaders also said they “will continue these efforts within the G20 under the United States’ host year and in other relevant fora.” The G20 meeting is another, larger annual summit bringing together leaders of the world’s 20 developed and emerging economies, the next iteration of which is scheduled to take place in December of this year in Miami, Florida. “We reaffirm our common interest in converging with other large economies on the causes of large and persistent global imbalances and on the need to address them,” the G7 leaders said, specifically mentioning China and praising China’s participation in a French-led conference during the days before the G7 summit. Mentioning Taiwan specifically, the G7 leaders also said they are eyeing China’s regional ambitions, warning against unilateral action to disrupt the status quo anywhere in the region. “We reaffirm our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo, in particular by force or coercion, in the East and South China Seas and across the Taiwan Strait, which should only be resolved peacefully through dialogue,” the G7 leaders said. The office of Taiwan’s president issued a statement on Thursday thanking the G7 leaders “for once again taking concrete action to demonstrate their support for peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait.” What follows is a transcript of Crux Now’s conversation with Cardinal Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, edited for length and clarity. Crux Now: What were the animating ideas behind the G7 bishops’ statement, and why did you decide to issue it? Card. Kikuchi: Church leaders cannot intervene directly in political affairs. However, as voices that uphold ethical and moral principles, we have a responsibility to continue speaking from the perspective of the common good, without being swayed by political circumstances or interests or public opinion of the majority. I believe that the realities of society are sustained not only by political and economic considerations, but also by religious and ethical principles that can provide guidance and a foundation when confronting the challenges of our time. What unique role can Japan and the Japanese Church play in advancing peace and nuclear disarmament within the G7? From the experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Church in Japan has continued to appeal to the world for the establishment of peace through the abolition of nuclear weapons. Both Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis, who visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively, strongly called for the abolition of nuclear weapons. However, the reality of our world today is that many nations continue to pursue peace based on a fragile balance maintained through the expansion of military capabilities. Japan, too, has been moving in this direction. In this context, the Church in Japan will continue to bear witness to the call for the abolition of nuclear weapons, standing together with Churches throughout the world, as part of our commitment to defending the dignity of the human person and building a true and lasting peace. Peace-building has been and will be the mail concern for the Church in Japan, especially based on the principle of the article 9 of the constitution and on the experience of Hiroshma and Nagasaki, calling for abolition of nuclear weapons. We will continue this effort. What ethical safeguards should G7 nations adopt to ensure that AI and emerging technologies protect human dignity and the common good? We feel very strongly that the human person must remain at the heart of all our considerations, and that the dignity of every human being must be fully respected. In this regard, while recognizing the importance and value of technological advances, including developments in artificial intelligence, the Church will continue to remind the world that the human person — a living being endowed with dignity — must always remain at the center. We must ensure that technological progress serves humanity and is guided by respect for human dignity. In your statement, the G7 bishops call especially for attention to the human person as the core focus of development initiatives around the world. Japan has been a leader in international development for many decades, but political support has been waning lately: Can you speak to this? Japan was once a leading champion of overseas development assistance. However, as the economy has faced prolonged downturn, public opinion has increasingly become critical of the government spending allocating resources for aid abroad. As a result, the traditional model of official development assistance based on providing large amounts of financial support for major projects is no longer as realistic or sustainable as it once was. In this context, I would like to emphasize that the true meaning of development assistance today is not simply to provide funding for large-scale projects, but to place the human person at the center and to build relationships between people. Japan’s development assistance has historically included initiatives such as sending government-sponsored volunteers overseas (JICA volunteers). What has been most valuable and enduring in these efforts is not merely the assistance itself, but the bonds of human relationship that have been created between the volunteers and the local communities. These bonds continue to be remembered and appreciated beyond the passage of time. In order to make concrete our shared commitment to making this world a better place together, I believe that we are living in a time when we must continue to put the human person at the center and enrich the bonds of solidarity that connect one person to another. At a time when there is an increasing tendency to exclude those who are different and to seek to live only for ourselves, it is essential that we recover the awareness that we are called to walk together, to work hand in hand, and to build a community together. I hope that the Church may continue to be a witness to this vision and a model of such a community.

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