Labor ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies issued a joint statement on Sunday, calling for investments in reskilling people.

Japan's labor minister Kato Katsunobu, who chaired the two-day meeting in the city of Kurashiki, western Japan, released the statement at a news conference that followed.

The statement says under the changes in the working environment brought about globally by digitalization and the move towards carbon neutrality, governments need to proactively support reskilling, which is core to investing in people.

The statement adds that the elderly, people with disabilities and those working for small and mid-sized companies should not be left behind.

It also says measures to cope with crises should be carried out in a sustainable manner, keeping in mind that measures to protect jobs during the pandemic led to unexpectedly significant fiscal spending in some cases.

The statement calls on G7 members to narrow wage disparities and secure appropriate wages to raise workers' morale and job satisfaction.

Kato said, while culture differs by country, he got the impression that investing in people is seen as an issue that needs to be addressed immediately.

He said it was meaningful to exchange opinions on common issues and come up with a common direction, adding that Japan will work with other countries to implement its policies.