Why Hiroshima?
Prime Minister Kishida Fumio announced in May 2022 that Hiroshima would bid to host the G7 Summit. He said the world was facing unprecedented crises, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a heightened risk of the use of weapons of mass destruction. He said he wants to send a powerful message against nuclear weapons from the first city to be hit by an atomic bomb.
"I would like to demonstrate the will of the G7 nations to firmly reject armed aggression, threats with nuclear weapons and attempts to subvert the international order," he said. "I can think of no better place than Hiroshima to demonstrate our commitment to peace."
The logos
The logo for the G7 Hiroshima Summit, by Nagasaki-based designer Kusano Keiichi, was chosen from 854 submissions. It depicts seven pieces of origami paper, each in a different color, fastened with a paper clip in the shape of the letter "G" to symbolize unity among the G7 nations.
The Citizens Council for the Hiroshima Summit, a joint public-private organization, also commissioned a logo for the event. Theirs was designed by a group of local high school students and features a dove and colorful origami sheets representing the 23 cities and towns of Hiroshima Prefecture. Many local companies and residents are displaying the logo whenever and wherever they can to promote the summit.
The venue
The summit will be held at Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima. The 500-room hotel, opened in 1994 on Ujinajima Island in the southern part of Hiroshima City, nestles amid the stunning scenery of the Seto Inland Sea. It hosted a meeting for G7 foreign ministers in April 2016.
The island was chosen partly for security reasons. With only one bridge connecting the island to the city center, it is easy to monitor.
Japan's previous G7 summit
Japan last hosted the G7 summit in 2016, when the leaders met in Ise-Shima, Mie Prefecture, to discuss issues including the global economy, cyberattacks, refugees, and climate change.
In the "G7 Ise-Shima Leaders Declaration," they pledged to work together to spur economic growth and address the immediate and long-term needs of displaced people.
Barack Obama traveled Hiroshima following the summit, becoming the first sitting US president to visit the city.
