At the summit in central Japan beginning Thursday, the Group of Seven leaders plan to mention in their declaration the "three principles" of "rule of law" proposed in 2014 by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in pursuing rival territorial claims at sea, negotiation sources said Tuesday.
In response to China's aggressive actions in pressing contested claims to territory in the South China Sea, Abe advocated in a speech in Singapore three principles to pursuing claims: making and clarifying claims based on international law, not using force or coercion to drive claims, and seeking to settle disputes by peaceful means.
The declaration to be issued at the two-day summit through Friday is expected to stipulate concern about China's actions in the South China Sea, where it is building artificial islands as outposts and possibly as military bases.
In the G-7 summit in Mie Prefecture, leaders from Britain, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Japan, the United States and the European Union also plan to express in the declaration concern about human rights conditions in North Korea, including Pyongyang's past abductions of Japanese nationals, the source said.
How to refer to the economic sanctions imposed on Russia over its annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine has not yet been decided, they said.