Japan: World Leaders Meet in Halo of Tension

Published June 28th, 2019 - 06:48 GMT

World leaders attending a Group of 20 summit in Japan that began on Friday are clashing over the values that have served for decades as the foundation of their cooperation as they face calls to fend off threats to economic growth.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told his counterparts in opening the two-day G20 meeting that comes as leaders grapple with profound tensions over trade, globalization and the collapsing nuclear deal with Iran.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Theresa May shake hands during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. STR / POOL / AFP

US President Donald Trump (R) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L) gesture next to Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) and his wife Akie as they pose for a group photo during the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Dominique JACOVIDES / POOL / AFP

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stands behind Russian President Vladimir Putin (front R) and Chinese President Xi Jinping as they arrive to pose for a group photo before a cultural event at the Osaka Geihinkan in Osaka Castle Park during the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Dominique JACOVIDES / POOL / AFP

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and France's President Emmanuel Macron gesture as they attend a meeting on the digital economy at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Jacques Witt / POOL / AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Mikhail KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / AFP

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) and US President Donald Trump arrive for a group photo at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Brendan Smialowski / AFP

Senior Advisor Jared Kushner arrives with US President Donald Trump during the G20 Summit at the INTEX Osaka in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Brendan Smialowski / AFP

(from left) Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and US President Donald Trump listen during a meeting at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Brendan Smialowski / AFP

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro (L) is welcomed by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe (front C) poses with partners of the G20 leaders for a family photo during the G20 partners' programme at Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto on June 28, 2019. DU Xiaoyi / POOL / AFP

This photo illustration shows an advert placed in the national daily newspaper The Australian in Melbourne on June 28, 2019 by a Hong Kong campaign group calling for solidarity with Hong Kong protesters demanding the withdrawal of a bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland, ahead of the G20 summit in Japan. William WEST / AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Theresa May shake hands during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  STR / POOL / AFP
US President Donald Trump (R) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L) gesture next to Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) and his wife Akie as they pose for a group photo during the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Dominique JACOVIDES / POOL / AFP
German Chancellor Angela Merkel stands behind Russian President Vladimir Putin (front R) and Chinese President Xi Jinping as they arrive to pose for a group photo before a cultural event at the Osaka Geihinkan in Osaka Castle Park during the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Dominique JACOVIDES / POOL / AFP
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and France's President Emmanuel Macron gesture as they attend a meeting on the digital economy at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Jacques Witt / POOL / AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Mikhail KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / AFP
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) and US President Donald Trump arrive for a group photo at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Brendan Smialowski / AFP
Senior Advisor Jared Kushner arrives with US President Donald Trump during the G20 Summit at the INTEX Osaka in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Brendan Smialowski / AFP
(from left) Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and US President Donald Trump listen during a meeting at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Brendan Smialowski / AFP
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro (L) is welcomed by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe (front C) poses with partners of the G20 leaders for a family photo during the G20 partners' programme at Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto on June 28, 2019.  DU Xiaoyi / POOL / AFP
This photo illustration shows an advert placed in the national daily newspaper The Australian in Melbourne on June 28, 2019 by a Hong Kong campaign group calling for solidarity with Hong Kong protesters demanding the withdrawal of a bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland, ahead of the G20 summit in Japan.  William WEST / AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Theresa May shake hands during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  STR / POOL / AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Theresa May shake hands during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. STR / POOL / AFP
US President Donald Trump (R) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L) gesture next to Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) and his wife Akie as they pose for a group photo during the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Dominique JACOVIDES / POOL / AFP
US President Donald Trump (R) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L) gesture next to Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) and his wife Akie as they pose for a group photo during the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Dominique JACOVIDES / POOL / AFP
German Chancellor Angela Merkel stands behind Russian President Vladimir Putin (front R) and Chinese President Xi Jinping as they arrive to pose for a group photo before a cultural event at the Osaka Geihinkan in Osaka Castle Park during the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Dominique JACOVIDES / POOL / AFP
German Chancellor Angela Merkel stands behind Russian President Vladimir Putin (front R) and Chinese President Xi Jinping as they arrive to pose for a group photo before a cultural event at the Osaka Geihinkan in Osaka Castle Park during the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Dominique JACOVIDES / POOL / AFP
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and France's President Emmanuel Macron gesture as they attend a meeting on the digital economy at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Jacques Witt / POOL / AFP
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and France's President Emmanuel Macron gesture as they attend a meeting on the digital economy at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Jacques Witt / POOL / AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Mikhail KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Mikhail KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / AFP
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) and US President Donald Trump arrive for a group photo at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Brendan Smialowski / AFP
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) and US President Donald Trump arrive for a group photo at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Brendan Smialowski / AFP
Senior Advisor Jared Kushner arrives with US President Donald Trump during the G20 Summit at the INTEX Osaka in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Brendan Smialowski / AFP
Senior Advisor Jared Kushner arrives with US President Donald Trump during the G20 Summit at the INTEX Osaka in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Brendan Smialowski / AFP
(from left) Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and US President Donald Trump listen during a meeting at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Brendan Smialowski / AFP
(from left) Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and US President Donald Trump listen during a meeting at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Brendan Smialowski / AFP
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro (L) is welcomed by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.  Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro (L) is welcomed by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe (front C) poses with partners of the G20 leaders for a family photo during the G20 partners' programme at Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto on June 28, 2019.  DU Xiaoyi / POOL / AFP
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe (front C) poses with partners of the G20 leaders for a family photo during the G20 partners' programme at Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto on June 28, 2019. DU Xiaoyi / POOL / AFP
This photo illustration shows an advert placed in the national daily newspaper The Australian in Melbourne on June 28, 2019 by a Hong Kong campaign group calling for solidarity with Hong Kong protesters demanding the withdrawal of a bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland, ahead of the G20 summit in Japan.  William WEST / AFP
This photo illustration shows an advert placed in the national daily newspaper The Australian in Melbourne on June 28, 2019 by a Hong Kong campaign group calling for solidarity with Hong Kong protesters demanding the withdrawal of a bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland, ahead of the G20 summit in Japan. William WEST / AFP

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