Pursuing SDGs key to curbing coronavirus inequalities, biz leaders say at Hiroshima forum

Business leaders are calling for leveraging the United Nation's sustainable development goals to achieve global peace because the coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating social and economic inequalities not just in Japan, but worldwide. Yoshimitsu Kobayashi, chairman of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp., said Saturday that the pandemic has forced a rethink of political and economic strategies. He called for shifting the focus of such plans from profit growth to building sustainable peace by addressing the deepening inequalities. Kobayashi was one of the guest speakers at this year's Hiroshima Business Forum for Global Peace, a symposium on business strategies and political solutions that address global threats. While praising the progress of technology, Kobayashi warned it could also lead to the creation of an underprivileged class as technology further pushes people out of job markets.