Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Tuesday voiced "grave concerns" over China's unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China seas on the second day of a meeting of the Group of Seven foreign ministers, the Japanese government said.
As the ministers discussed issues related to China and Russia, Motegi said during the meeting that Japan is also concerned about Beijing's handling of human rights in connection with the Muslim Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang autonomous region as well as the situation in Hong Kong, according to the Foreign Ministry.
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, the chair of the three-day gathering, told reporters that they will issue a joint statement after the meeting to demonstrate their determination to promote open societies, human rights and democracy, in a veiled counter to China and Russia.