Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced on Apr. 2 that Japan will host the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28-29, 2019. The government hopes to play up Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s diplomatic leadership before the Upper House election takes place in the summer of the same year and boost public support for the Abe cabinet. It will also host ministerial meetings at eight venues across the country to pay consideration to the local economies. (Abridged)