Japan to attend G20 meet, no comment on Russia -finance minister

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan will attend a G20 finance ministers meeting next week, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Friday, as Western nations called for expulsion of Russia from the forum and boycotting sessions where Moscow is represented.

“The Japanese government is not in the position to respond to each country‘s participation,” Suzuki told a press conference when asked about Russia’s plans to join the forum online, which current G20 president Indonesia announced on Thursday.

Last week, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the United States will boycott some G20 meetings if Russian officials show up. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner has called for rejection of any form of cooperation with Russia at the G20.

The upcoming G20 meeting “is a very important conference to discuss various issues of the global economy, including rising food and energy prices due to Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine…where participation of each country’s finance minister and central bank governor is basically expected,” Suzuki said.

Meanwhile, Japan “will take appropriate steps in close cooperation with G7 allies and the host country Indonesia” based on a March G7 leaders statement that said international platforms should not continue relations with Russia in a business as usual manner, Suzuki said.