Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will join other leaders of the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies gathering in Germany this week, with trade and climate change expected to be high on the agenda.
The unity and relevance of the G-20 is being increasingly tested at a time when the world economy has yet to gather strong growth momentum, and as a host of global challenges, ranging from terrorism to inequality, require collective efforts.
Abe is scheduled to attend the G-20 summit from Friday to Saturday in the German port city of Hamburg, amid lingering concerns about a tilt toward protectionism that shields domestic companies by using import taxes and other measures.