US Prez Biden tours 1,400-year-old shrine in Hiroshima with G7 leaders

US President Joe Biden along with G7 leaders on Saturday toured a 1,400-year-old shrine in Hiroshima, Japan, the White House said.

'President Biden toured the 1,400-year-old Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima with G7 leaders," The White House tweeted.

The 1,400-year-old shrine is located on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima). It is best known for its "floating" torii gate.

It is located in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, and is accessible via ferry from the mainland.

On Friday, Group of Seven (G7) leaders laid wreaths at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan's Hiroshima. They also planted saplings at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

After laying wreaths at the Hiroshima Memorial, the G7 leaders posed for a picture together.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, European Council President Charles Michel, US President Joe Biden, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posed for the picture.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (Genbaku Dome) - the only structure left standing in the area, depicting the aftermath where the world's first atomic bomb was dropped on the city on August 6, 1945.

The G7 leaders are currently in Japan to attend the G7 Summit scheduled to be held in Hiroshima from May 19-21. Notably, Japan assumed the G7 Presidency in 2023.

The G7 Summit is an international forum held annually for the leaders of the G7 member states of France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada (in order of rotating presidency), and the European Union (EU).

Notably, the G7 grouping comprises Japan, Italy, Canada, France, the US, the UK and Germany. Japan under its G7 Presidency has invited leaders from Australia, Brazil, Comoros, Cook Islands, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam, according to the statement.

Moreover, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday also departed for Japan to attend the G7 Summit in Hiroshima.

PM Modi in a statement before his departure, said that he will leave for Japan to attend the G7 Summit at the invitation of Japanese PM Fumio Kishida.

He said that his presence at the G7 Summit is particularly meaningful as India this year holds the G20 Presidency.