Leaders from the Group of Seven (G7) economic powers have kicked off two days of talks in Japan with concerns over the health of the global economy taking center stage.
Heads of state and government from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan are expected to discuss a range of other topics, including Europe's refugee crisis, terrorism, cybersecurity, and maritime security.
Ahead of the talks in Ise-Shima on May 26, the group visited the Shinto religion's holiest site, Ise Jingu.
The visit is controversial because critics say Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is catering to his conservative supporters who want to revive traditional values.
On May 27, Barack Obama is to visit Hiroshima -- the first serving U.S. president to travel to the site of the world's first atomic-bomb attack.