Just seven months after their last meeting in Argentina, leaders of the Group of 20 nations gather in Osaka this week to once again take up issues ranging from global trade to dealing with maritime plastic waste.
What kind of agreement they reach and whether they even reach one on all the issues could determine the direction of the G20 as an international forum and impact the domestic political fortunes of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The Osaka G20 summit, one of the largest gatherings of world leaders outside the United Nations General Assembly, will bring together over 30 presidents, prime ministers and heads of international organizations for two days of talks on Friday and Saturday. Some 30,000 participants are expected for the G20 — the first to be held in Japan.