Japan PM pledges 2022 will be year of "summit diplomacy" in New Year address
The Hindu
In the New Year's statement, Mr. Kishida also promised to prioritise tackling the COVID-19 pandemic as Japan sees a spread of the Omicron variant, and pursue his efforts to close the wealth gap
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on January 1 he would refocus his efforts on foreign policy and pledged to make 2022 the year of diplomacy, in a New Year statement posted on his website.
"The deft handling of diplomatic and security issues and the establishment of a stable administration is crucial, as the international situation surrounding us becomes increasingly difficult and complex," Mr. Kishida said.
He added that a strong emphasis on universal ideals, as well as efforts to resolve global issues and protect the lives of the people would be the three guiding principles of what he called "a diplomacy of realism for the new era."
In 2021, five women from Mayithara, four of them MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers, found a common ground in their desire to create a sustainable livelihood by growing vegetables. Rajamma M., Mary Varkey, Valsala L., Elisho S., and Praseeda Sumesh, aged between 70 and 39, pooled their savings, rented a piece of land and began their collective vegetable farming journey under the Deepam Krishi group.