The Group of Seven regains some of its former stature after Ise Shima

THOSE who argue that last week's summit meeting of political leaders from the Group of Seven (G-7) economically advanced nations was longer on form than on substance miss the point that form itself is important. In the case of the Ise Shima summit, the form and atmosphere of the debate pointed to shifts in the global balance of power.

It would be wrong to argue simply that the pendulum is swinging back from the East to the West since Japan is an Asian power (albeit an "honorary Westerner" in some regards). But the balance of economic power and cultural weight does appear to be moving again in a westerly direction. There was more confidence and cohesiveness among the G-7 leaders during the Ise Shima summit than has been observable in recent years; ever since, in fact, the global financial crisis of 2008 inflicted a savage blow to the world economy and upon the notion of Western supremacy.

Japan provided competent leadership, especially in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's chairing of the pinnacle meeting of political leaders where he emphasised the three (essentially Western) values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law that bind the G-7 nations together. In so doing, he not only distanced Japan from China - which is in danger of being ostracised for neglect of these values - but also implied that Japan is committed to observance of all three: a triumph of common principle over common ethnicity and geographical location.