WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the leaders of the Group of Seven major powers may meet in person at their annual summit slated for June, instead of an online format planned in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump, who chairs this year's summit, said on Twitter that he is considering hosting the session at the Camp David presidential retreat near Washington around the planned dates of June 10-12.

Holding the meeting in person would symbolize normalization, Trump said, noting that the United States is recovering from the virus crisis and that other G7 member countries "are also beginning their comeback." The six other members of the G7 forum are Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

At a press conference in Tokyo, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that Trump's remarks "apparently represent his wish to bring the world economy back to normal quickly."

"Japan and the United States are always communicating with each other closely, and the US side contacted us" on the possibility of holding the G7 summit in person, Suga said.

"The specific dates and format (for the summit) are still under consideration by the United States, the host of the meeting," the top Japanese government spokesman said.

Suga added that the Japanese government is considering whether Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will attend the meeting.

According to the White House, Trump on Wednesday spoke over the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the G7 summit.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has announced an entry ban on people from Europe. It is also restricting entry from Canada.

While restrictions on going out are slated to remain in place in Washington and other US cities through June, many US states have partially reopened economic activity. The Trump administration is actively seeking to reopen the country's economy.

JIJI Press