G7 has patent on hypocrisy and economic coercion

Even though they didn't mention it by name, the G7 trade ministers were widely perceived to be referring to China when they called for the removal of import curbs on Japanese food products.

Meeting in Sakai, Osaka, on the weekend, they "strongly call (ed) for the immediate repeal of any such measures that unnecessarily restrict trade, including the newly introduced import restrictions on Japanese food products".

China is the main economy to have introduced restrictions on imports of Japanese food products. By banning imports of seafood from Japan, China is seeking to protect its own 1.4 billion people.