G20 ministers end Tsukuba meet with pledge to seek reform of World Trade Organization

"We will work constructively with other WTO members to undertake necessary WTO reform with a sense of urgency," the statement said. Hiroshige Seko, minister of economy, trade and industry, said that it is significant that specifics concerning WTO reform were included in a G20 ministerial statement for the first time. Improving the organization's system for resolving disputes was one of the issues raised. "We agree that action is necessary regarding the functioning of the dispute settlement system consistent with the rules as negotiated by the WTO members," the statement said. Foreign Minister Taro Kono said it was a "big feat" for Japan, which places importance on this issue, that the need to address the system was explicitly mentioned in the statement.