TOKYO, April 15 — Japan is preparing to attend a gathering of financial leaders from the Group of 20 economic powers next week, its finance minister said on Friday, as Western nations sought the expulsion of Russia from the forum and said they would skip sessions where Moscow is represented.
Japanese officials are keen to have their minister go to Washington next week for the G20 meeting on April 20 on the sidelines of IMF/World Bank spring gatherings. Suzuki was not able to attend the previous meeting of the group in February. Last week, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the United States will boycott some G20 meetings if Russian officials show up. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner has called for rejection of any form of cooperation with Russia at the G20.
Suzuki and his American counterpart Yellen are likely to meet next week on the sidelines of the G20 gathering, Kyodo news agency reported on Friday.