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This report on "Japan's 2008 G8: Plans for the Hokkaido-Toyako Summit" is compiled by the G8 Research Group largely from public sources as an aid to researchers and other stakeholders interested in the 2008 Hokkaido-Toyako Summit. It will be updated periodically as plans for the 2008 Summit evolve, and as more information becomes available about Japan's plans. It continues, under a more accurate name, the earlier report on "Japan's 2008 Agenda," which now includes material on the physical summit, Japan's internal preparations and G8 ministerial meetings..

Introduction: Japan's 2008 G8

Japan will host the G8's 2008 Summit from July 7-9, 2008 at the Windsor Hotel Toya Resort and Spa in Toyako, Hokkaido in northern Japan. The environment, Africa, intellectual property rights, and nuclear safety should be a prominent part of the Japanese focus.

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Agenda: The Policy Summit

With CO2 emissions rising rapidly in Japan, pushing forward climate change measures will be a key agenda for Japan, as the chair of the G-8 summit in 2008.[1] (November 1, 2007, Associated Press Newswires)

Newly elected Prime Minister Fukuda announced that he would like to take up the global warming issue as one of the main topics at the G8 summit in Hokkaido's Lake Toya hot-spring resort area next year. [2] (October 5, 2007, Kyodo News)

The Japanese summit will focus on global warming and African development. See also "Japan Selects Hokkaido for 2008 Summit."[3] (April 16, 2007, Agence France Presse, among other sources)

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Climate Change

As host of the 2008 G8 summit, Japan is eager to take leadership in building international consensus for a post-2012 framework on reducing emissions and tackling global warming after the current Kyoto Protocol expires. Japan has proposed setting up a new mechanism to provide incentives for developing countries to work on cutting emissions, such as by improving energy efficiencies, without affecting economic growth.[4] (November 21, 2007, Kyodo News)

During a bilateral meeting, Japan and the United States agreed to collaborate to "make tangible progress toward the establishment of an effective framework" in the post-2012 period at the 2008 G8 summit that Japan will host in Hokkaido's Lake Toya hot-spring resort area.[5] (November 16, 2007, Kyodo News)

Japan wants to play a leadership role on environmental issues, as they will be hosting the 2008 G8 summit, where global warming is expected to be a top agenda item.[1] (November 15, 2007, Reuters News)

Pushing forward climate change measures will remain a key agenda for Japan. In light of rising CO2 emissions, Tokyo has announced a plan of short- and long-term goals to reduce greenhouse gases, and is also calling for a new global warming pact to succeed the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.[6]

Prime Minister Fukuda and Chancellor Merkel agreed to cooperate on climate change at the G8 summit in Japan in July 2008. Fukuda stressed the need to create "an effective international framework" in which all major greenhouse gas emitters, such as the U.S., China and India, can participate.[7] (October 24, 2007, Kyodo News)

Prime Minister Fukuda urged members of his Cabinet to plan "powerful and concrete" measures to allow Japan to attain its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal under the Kyoto Protocol. Fukuda said, "If we cannot come up with a plan to realize with certainty the 6% reduction goalÉwe will not be able to present a convincing argument at next year's G8 summit in Hokkaido." Environment minister Ichiro Kamoshita called for "the introduction of an environment tax and the promotion of a nationwide movement to tackle global warming, while Economy, Trade and Industry minister Akira Amari propose the reinforcement of voluntary action plans in the industrial sector."[8] (October 18, 2007, Kyodo News)

Prime Minister Fukuda said he expects Australia to adopt a "positive stance" on addressing global warming, which will be a major item at the G8 summit in Japan in July.[9] (October 12, 2007, Kyodo News)

Prime Minister Fukuda plans to take over Abe's plans to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Fukuda said that he plans to take up the global warming issue as one of the main topics at the G8 summit in Hokkaido's Lake Toya hot-spring resort area next year. [10] (October 5, 2007, Kyodo News)

The US floated the idea of liberalizing trade in environmentally friendly goods during high-level bilateral talks on climate change on August 8 in Tokyo. Japan and the United States are planning to propose the "Tariff Elimination Initiative for Climate Change," which is aimed at "fighting global warming through the expansion of trade in energy-saving products that Japan excels in." According to Japanese government sources, energy-saving products will include fuel cells, hybrid vehicles, hydroelectric power generators, solar power hot-water heaters, solar cells, and wind power generators.[11] (September 26, 2007, Kyodo News)

Because a new Liberal Democratic Party president was to be selected on September 23, 2007, former prime minister Abe was unable to attend meetings on climate change in New York on September 24 (as well as the United National General Assembly the following day). The former prime minister was to attend the meetings in order to prepare for the upcoming discussions at the 2008 G8 summit in Toyako, Hokkaido.[12] (September 14, 2007, Nikkei Report)

With Japanese Prime Minister Abe stepping down, sources suggested that there may be a need to review G8 strategy for the 2008 summit. Abe had proposed cutting global greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050, and it was likely to be included in discussions on climate change at the summit.[13] (September 12, 2007, Jiji Press English News Service)

"[Former] Japanese Prime Minister Abe and Russian President Putin agreed that the two countries should cooperate in creating a framework to deal with global warming beyond 2012 when the Kyoto Protocol expires. The international community is stepping up efforts to build a post-Kyoto framework that will be effective and include all major greenhouse gas emitters notably China, India and the United States."[14] (September 8, 2007, Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies)

German Chancellor Merkel said Japan, as host of next year's Group of Eight summit of industrialized countries, would take centre stage in the effort to promote a plan to cut emissions of so-called greenhouse gases by 50 percent by 2050." Japan had announced an 'Abe Initiative,' after the former prime minister, of short- and long term goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and was also calling for a new global warming pact to succeed the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.[15] (August 29, 2007, Associated Press Newswires)

UN official Yvo de Boer believes Japan is in a key position to tackle climate change. "I think that the Japanese presidency of the G8 can help to develop that concept and get a clearer understanding of what G8 countries are willing and able to do to help developing countries act on climate change," he noted. As Japan was instrumental in the creation of the environmental protocol, de Boer said he expects that the Japanese can utilize their political leverage when they host the G8 summit in Hokkaido, July 7-9.[16] (August 23, 2007, Kyodo News)

Japan officials met with officials in India to discuss global warming. According to officials, discussions such as this can be expected to increase as Japan gets closer to the G8 presidency.[17] (August 20, 2007, Kyodo News)

German Chancellor Merkel was in Japan from August 29-31 to visit former Japanese prime minister Abe. Ministry officials said that "Merkel is scheduled to hold talks with [former prime minister] Abe [on August 29] on issues such as global warming, which will be a major topic at next year's Group of Eight summit in Japan."[18] (August 6, 2007, Kyodo News)

Climate change is likely to dominate the agenda at the 2008 Japan-hosted Summit.[19] (August 2, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

Japan, under former prime minister Abe's administration, has been stepping up efforts to strengthen talks on climate change with emerging economies such as India and China that are among major greenhouse gas emitters, ahead of hosting next year's G8 Summit meeting in Japan.[20] (August 1, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan posted former prime minister Abe`s New Proposal on Climate Change, "Cool Earth 50." In the proposal the former PM Abe stresses that "Through the measures I have described, I am determined to exert my utmost efforts to tackle the issue of global warming together with the people of Japan. It is my sincere hope that each and every country, be it an industrialized or developing country, will accept my invitation and walk together towards the "Cool Earth" in 2050." Abe goes on to say, "I will continue my efforts based on my proposals, and aim to produce fruit at the G8 Summit in Toyako, Hokkaido, next year. I ask for your understanding and cooperation in this endeavor."[21] (August 2007, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

The Japanese decided to propose introducing an "energy use efficiency" index as a new international framework to tackle global warming before next year's Group of Eight summit in Toyako, Hokkaido.[22] (July 9, 2007, Kyodo News)

Japan will continue the climate change debate when it hosts the summit in 2008. According to former Japanese Prime Minister Abe, "The achievement at the Heiligendamm summit will be a precious base for next year's summit... From this base, we want to make an effort to show big results."[23] (June 8, 2007, Agence France Presse)

The communiqué from the 2007 summit indicated that "To maintain the momentum of our commitment to the [Global Energy Security Principles, we] will prepare national reports, with the assistance of the IEA, evaluating G8 member states' efforts to adhere to those principles, for delivery at the 2008 G8 summit.[24] (June 8, 2007)

The 2007 G8 communiqué states that the following commitments will be reviewed at the 2008 summit in Japan: "enhancing resiliency to climate variability and climate change in a way that fully supports our common goal of sustainable development; our willingness to continue and enhance cooperation with and support for developing countries in adapting to climate change and enhancing their resilience to climate variability, in particular those most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change; our willingness to work with developing countries on the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation measures to help integrating them in national development planning; our commitment to assist with climate research and risk assessments including through helping developing countries benefit from satellite observation systems; [our] endeavour under the Montreal Protocol to ensure the recovery of the ozone layer by accelerating the phase-out of HCFCs in a way that supports energy efficiency and climate change objectives; [and the continued exercising of leadership in the development of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)."[25] (June 8, 2007)

Japanese "Prime Minister Abe will ask his cabinet ministers to develop a package of proposals to present to next year's Group of Eight summit of world leaders which Japan will host. According to a foreign ministry official, Japanese government ministers will "discuss proposals on a new framework that will ensure participation by the United States and China, the world's largest greenhouse-gas emitters."[26] (March 20, 2007, Agence France Presse)

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that he will lead discussions of environmental protection and climate change in Heiligendamm, where it will be a major topic.[27] Jiji Press English News Service also reported that "Environmental issues will remain at the fore at next year's G8 summit in Japan, where attendees are seen to discuss how Japan and other advanced nations should achieve their targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions set out in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. A post-Kyoto Protocol framework for tackling global warming will also likely be on the agenda at the 2008 summit among Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States," Abe said.[28] (February 18, 2007, Jiji Press English News Service)

In the G8 leaders' 2005 official document on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development, the text read "We welcome Japan's offer to receive a report at the G8 Summit in 2008 [to take the sustainable energy dialogue forward]."[29] (2005)

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Environment

In regards to the government's stance on environmental issues, Prime Minister Fukuda said, "Japan will continue to lead international discussions to create an effective international framework in which all major greenhouse gas emitters can participate." "My Cabinet will also place top priority on environment issues, including global warming, and work with utmost efforts," he added.[30] (October 5, 2007, Kyodo News)

Former Japanese Prime Minister Abe was considering going to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum Meeting. Swiss President Couchepin said his country hopes Abe will attend the WEF meeting and send out a strong message on environmental issues as the leader of the country hosting the Group of Eight presidency in 2008.[31] (July 10, 2007, Jiji English Press News)

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore wanted to meet with former Japanese Prime Minister Abe before the 2008 G8 Summit in Japan.[32] (July 5, 2007, Kyodo News)

The Japanese government intends to stress ecological concerns in every way during the 2008 G8 Summit in Japan. Therefore, the car fleet for official delegations will be made up of cars, "friendly with nature", which Japanese firms are feverishly developing.[33] (July 3, 2007, ITAR-TASS World Service)

Former Prime Minister Abe is planning on taking up issues relating to the environment at the 2008 summit. Abe stated, "As an environment friendly country I would like to take up issues of the environment and climate change as the major issues to be addressed."[34] (June 8, 2007, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

Former Prime Minister Abe, while visiting Toyako, stated "I was convinced that it is the right place to speak about the environment, which is one of the themes next year."[35] (May 19, 2007, Kyodo News)

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Nuclear Safety

"Japan plans to discuss compiling international safety guidelines for nuclear power plants with other members of the Group of Eight nations, with an eye to reaching agreement at next year's G8 summit in Hokkaido, government sources said... The guidelines are expected to include assistance from the G8 nations on techniques for safety inspections and maintenance, as well as stipulating training for local staff and unified regulations on management in order to prevent the transfer or leakage of technologies or nuclear-related materials."[36] (May 20, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

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African Development

Only the United Kingdom and Japan are on-track for keeping their promises on aid for Africa, according to Data, a London-based development pressure group, that estimates an extra $6.2 billion in aid for Africa is needed this year alone to keep the G8 on track towards its 2010 targets.[37] (October 14, 2007, Financial Times)

Japan is being forced to look more closely at its role in providing Africa with aid in light of the looming G8 Summit.[38] (August 21, 2007, The International Herald Tribune)

The World Bank pledged to work closely with Japan in providing aid to poverty stricken countries, alongside the G8. "There are many things that the World Bank and Japan can do together," Zoellick was quoted as telling Omi.[39] (August 8, 2007, Agence France Presse)

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asked government ministries and agencies to concert their efforts to make a success out of an international conference on economic development in Africa scheduled for May next year in Yokohama near Tokyo. Abe said at the outset of the first meeting of Cabinet ministers related to the African development conference, "We should take the initiative in the development of Africa and build on the results (of the Yokohama meeting) during the Group of Eight industrialized nations' economic summit meeting to be held near Lake Toya in Hokkaido."[40] (August 6, 2007, Kyodo News)

In light of their future head role over the G8, the World Bank will seek out Japan's help in fighting global issues, including the reinforcement of aid to Africa. During his first visit to Japan since he became the World Bank president at the start of this month, Zoellick told reporters that he "will seek Tokyo's additional cooperation in efforts to reinforce assistance to Africa." Zoellick stressed that both climate change and the developing countries should both be on the Japanese G8 agenda. However, he went on to state that, 'If Japan wants to stress the climate change agenda, "it should also stress its African development agenda."[41] (July 25, 2007, Jiji Press English News Service)

The Heiligendamm communiqué noted, "On a high-level meeting in fall 2007, the G8 presidency will monitor the progress towards [Strengthening Financial Markets in Africa] and if necessary identify the need for additional action until the next Summit [in Japan].[42] (June 8, 2007)

Following a meeting in Tokyo between Italian Prime Minister Prodi (who will host the summit in 2009) and former Japanese Prime Minister Abe, Abe stated, "As both our countries will be chairing these summits, cooperation is essential. The issues to be taken up at the G8 summit meeting are long term issues."[43] Prodi stated that "It is necessary to build a joint policy towards Africa... Africa is developing economically amid globalisation. We have up until now discussed major environmental and human disasters in Africa at our G8 meetings... Africa is developing economically amid globalisation."[44] (April 16, 2007, Agence France Presse)

A senior official from Germany announced that Germany will not focus on debt relief and increased aid to Africa, stating that the 2005 report of the Commission for Africa left the issue to be taken up again by the Japanese G8 presidency in 2008.[45] (November 18, 2006)

"In [2008], Japan will be Chair of the G8 and host the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development Ñ a 5-yearly gathering of African leaders and their development partners. Africa will be in the spotlight again." [46] (According to a report by Julius Court, of the Overseas Development Institute)

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Intellectual Property Rights

Japan is working on the first international treaty aimed at stemming production and sale of fake brand goods and illegal copies of movies and music software. Officials went on to say that Tokyo aims to reach a basic agreement on the treaty at the summit of the Group of Eight nations next July in Japan, making the protection of intellectual property a major topic on the summit agenda along with global warming.[47] (July 21, 2007, Kyodo News)

"On intellectual property protection, the declaration recognized, for the first time as a summit meeting document, the importance of streamlining and harmonizing the international patent system. A treaty to prevent the spread of counterfeit and pirated products, which Japan aims to establish, was not included in the declaration. But it said, "We recognize the need for continued study by national experts of the possibilities of strengthening the international legal framework pertaining to intellectual property right enforcement," suggesting the treaty may be included in a document at the next G8 summit meeting to be held in Hokkaido."[48] (June 9, 2007, Daily Yomiuri)

The communiqué from the 2007 G8 summit in Heiligendamm indicated that the pilot plan on technical assistance (launched in partnership with certain developing countries) would be "reviewed by the G8 in 2008."[49] (July 8, 2007)

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Afghanistan

As a Japanese law authorizing assistance in Afghanistan came to an end, the country has decided to take steps to continue its efforts. Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said he and three other Cabinet members related to foreign aid decided that Japan will take initiatives in Afghan aid through international conferences, including as chair of the G8 summit.[50] (November 1, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

Prime Minister Fukuda explained to Chancellor Merkel that "his government is making its 'best efforts' to have parliament enact a new law that would allow Japan to continue its refuelling mission in support of the U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in an near Afghanistan, while touching on Germany's contributions to the fight against terrorism."[51] (October 24, 2007, Kyodo News)

Japan has promised to ask the G8 countries for more cooperation in the development of Afghanistan when it assumes chairmanship of the G8 countries. "Japan stressed that the G8 role in mediating between Afghanistan and Pakistan was very important in ensuring stability in the region."[52] (August 12, 2007, BBC Monitoring South Asia)

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Heiligendamm Process

On the final day of the 2007 G8 Summit, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe commented that, "The results of this Heiligendamm Summit should provide the foundation for our work towards next year's Summit. We should like to strive to build important results on the outcome of Heiligendamm"[53] (June 8, 2007)

The 2007 G8 communiqué noted that at "the G8 Summit in Japan in 2008 will receive an interim report on the progress made [in regards to the Heiligendamm Process] and at the G8 Summit in Italy in 2009 a final report on the outcomes of the Dialogue Process will be presented.[54] (June 8, 2007)

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Other

Tokyo is hoping that the outcome of the third East Asian Summit, schedule to occur on November 21, involving 16 Asian and Pacific countries will be reflected in discussions at the G8 summit next year, Fukuda was quoted as telling Lee (Prime Minister of Singapore).[55] (November 2, 2007, Kyodo News)

The Junior Eight (J8) Summit, a gathering of young people from all over the world, will be held in Chitose City in the region of Lake Shikotsu from July 1 to 10, 2008. It will be held under the joint auspices of the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF), who favoured the Lake Shikotsu venue.[56] (October 26, 2007, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda and Germany Chancellor Merkel have agreed to work closing in dealing with North Korea and reforming the United National Security Council.[57] (October 24, 2007, Kyodo News)

Japan is likely to invite Australia to attend the meeting as one of a handful of observer nations.[58] (October 23, 2007The Australian)

Japan's Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs made a statement which linked the G8 summit being hosted in Hokkaido in 2008 to the 'Northern Territories' problem in Russian-Japanese relations.[59] (September 10, 2007, BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union)

In the 2007 G8 communiqué it was noted that G8 countries would report on progress in the policies and measures on energy efficiency outlined in the communiqué at the G8 summit in 2008.[60] (June 8, 2007)

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Process: The Physical Summit

Summit Site

The Japanese government held a conference at the hotel that will be the site for the Hokkaido Toyako G8 Summit in 2008. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss ways to promote tourism in Japan.[61] (October 1, 2007, HBC G8: Hokkaido-Toyako Summit 2008)

Many people from Toyako are upset that former Prime Minister Abe will not be attending Japan's 2008 G8 Summit. The mayor of Toyako town, Yoshio Nagasaki said, "I believe Prime Minister Abe had a great determination towards next year's summit. It's such a shame he won't be able to attend it." Others, including a souvenir shop owner, expressed similar feelings, "I think that it would be better if the person who decided on the summit attend it. I really wanted Prime Minister Abe [to] gaze out at Lake Toyako from the venue he spoke [of] in the conference."[62] (September 13, 2007, HBC G8: Hokkaido-Toyako Summit 2008)

"The planned main venue for the G8 summit is Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa, which stands atop a 600-metre mountain overlooking Lake Toya.[63] (September 3, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

The summit will be held at the Windsor Hotel Toya Resort and Spa.[64] (June 12, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

The Japanese government has officially decided that the 2008 Summit will be held July 7-9.[65] (June 12, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

The Japanese government plans to host the summit in July, 2008.[66] (April 24, 2007, Jiji Press English News Service)

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Government Preparations: External

Because a new Liberal Democratic Party president was to be selected on September 23, 2007, former Prime Minister Abe was unable to attend meetings on climate change in New York on September 24 (as well as the United National General Assembly the following day). Abe was to attend the meetings in order to prepare for the upcoming discussions at the 2008 G8 summit in Toyako, Hokkaido.[67] (September 14, 2007, Nikkei Report)

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Government Preparations: Internal

In the strongest hint yet that he favoured postponing elections until after Japan hosts the G8 summit in July, [Fukuda] said he could "give a fairly high level of guarantee" that his administration could hang on. "I hold the authority to call an election. In the absence of dissolution of the lower house, we shall host the G8 summit."[2] (November 12, 2007, Financial Times)

With Japanese Prime Minister Abe having stepped down, sources have suggested that there may be a need to review G8 strategy for the 2008 summit. Abe had proposed cutting global greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050, and it is still likely to be included in discussions on climate change at the summit.[68] (September 12, 2007, Jiji Press English News Service)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan released the Secretariat which had been established for the 2008 Summit under former Prime Minister Abe. The Secretariat for the G8 Summit was established in the Foreign Minister's Secretariat on July 1, and the opening ceremony was held on July 2 in the presence of Mr. Taro Aso, former Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Office was to be in charge of the management and logistics, including press-related matters, of the Hokkaido Toyako Summit, which will be held in the Toyako area in Hokkaido, and the G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kyoto. Mr. Hiroshi Fukada, former Deputy Director-General of the International Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was appointed Secretary General for the G8 Summit, and about 20 other officials were assigned to the Office on July 1.[69] (July 4, 2007, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

Former Prime Minister Abe's Japanese Foreign Ministry set up a preparatory committee for the 2008 Japan-hosted G8 Summit. "As several thousands of media personnel from around the world will gather for the summit, it is a good opportunity for Japan to issue its message to the world," Former foreign minister Taro Aso said in an address at the committee's launch.[70] (July 1, 2007, Kyodo News)

The Japanese government set up a G8 preparatory committee under former Prime Minister Abe headed up by former Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki and composed of Cabinet Secretariat officials and senior ministry and agency officials, a government spokesperson stated.[71] The committee was intended to liaise with government organs, prepare the summit venue, press centre, facilities and security, and coordinate member delegations' accommodations.[72] Former Prime Minister Abe was quoted as instructing his cabinet to make "thorough preparations for smoothly receiving" the leaders, and according to the BBC "Kensei Mizote, chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, vowed to take "all possible security measures" by assembling police forces nationwide amid "concerns over possible violence by anti-globalization activists and terror attacks by Islamic radicals."[73] The foreign ministry was to set up its own preparatory committee, according to former minister Taro Aso, which was to be established in July to coordinate climate change policy.[74] (June 12, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

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Cost

"The Japanese government decided to earmark about 11.48 billion yen to prepare for the Group of Eight summit to be hosted by Japan next year in the Lake Toya hot-spring resort area in Hokkaido, former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Junzo Matoba said." "The money [was to] be used for preparing a media centre, a fibre optics system and measures to deal with snow accumulation in the northernmost prefecture.[75] (September 3, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

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Security

Japanese and German officials have agreed to exchange information and cooperate over security issues for the 2008 Summit in Japan. "Japan's NPA and Hokkaido prefectural police officials in charge of summit security will be sent to Germany to set up the information exchanges," officials said.[76] (August 12, 2007, Kyodo News)

The Japan coast-guard held a drill in preparation for the 2008 G8 Japan-hosted Summit. "The exercise involved 300 people, eight patrol vessels, three helicopters and two aircraft on the assumption a suspicious boat tried to get away after being seen by a helicopter."[77] (July 14, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

A special headquarters for ensuring security at the 2008 G8 Summit is now operational, according to sources. "The head of the headquarters, Deputy Commissioner General of the Japanese National Police Agency Hiroto Yoshimura stressed at the first meeting of this structure that not only the area of the G8 leaders' conference, but the whole country is a potential target for terrorist sorties and terrorists may try to stage large-scale sabotage actions. He especially stressed the danger emanating from "Islamic radicals." The headquarters leader said the Japanese police will get new equipment and will undergo reinforced training for the prevention and suppression of both terrorist attacks and massive disorders."[78] (July 3, 2007, Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies)

Japan's National Police Agency launched a panel to devise plans for the 2008 G8 Summit.[79] (July 2, 2007, Kyodo Press)

A government spokesperson stated that the Japanese government was t0 set up a G8 preparatory committee headed up by former Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki and composed of former Prime Minister Abe's Cabinet Secretariat officials and senior ministry and agency officials.[80] The committee was to liaise with government organs, prepare the summit venue, press centre, facilities and security, and coordinate member delegations' accommodations.[81] Former Prime Minister Abe was quoted as instructing his cabinet to make "thorough preparations for smoothly receiving" the leaders, and according to the BBC "Kensei Mizote, chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, vowed to take "all possible security measures" by assembling police forces nationwide amid "concerns over possible violence by anti-globalization activists and terror attacks by Islamic radicals."[82] The former foreign ministry was to set up its own preparatory committee, according to former Foreign Minister Taro Aso, which was to be established in July to coordinate climate change policy.[83] (June 12, 2007, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific)

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Media

"The Japanese Foreign Ministry's public relations officers will receive special training on media relations, ahead of important international conferences Japan will host next year, [including the G8 Summit and all of its respective meetings]."[84] (September 5, 2007, Jiji Press English News Service)

The Government of Japan has decided to establish the International Media Centre for the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit 2008 at Rusutsu Resort, Rusutsu Village, Abuta District, Hokkaido.[85] (September 4, 2007, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

According to Kazuya Nashida, director of the Economic Policy Division of the Foreign Ministry's Economic Affairs Bureau, the media centre for the summit will be set up in Rusutsu Resort hotel in the village of Rusutsu. It is located 30 minutes by car from the Windsor Hotel Toya Report and Spa, where the Hokkaido Toyako summit will be held.[86] (June 18, 2007, Kyodo News)

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Name

The summit will be held from July 7-9, 2008. Former prime minister Abe stated that the summit will officially be called the "Hokkaido Toyako Summit" in Japanese. According to Kyodo News, "Government sources said the official name came as a compromise between the prefectural government calling for the "Hokkaido Summit" and the town government favouring the "Toyako Summit." It is still unknown what Japan will officially call the summit in English."[87] (May 19, 2007, Kyodo News)

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Ministerial Meetings

Japan will host a meeting of Group of Eight lower house speakers in Hiroshima next September, House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono said. They will discuss peace and disarmament, indicating Japan will call for a nuclear-free world. It will be the first time Japan hosts the speakers' meeting, since it was started in 2002.[88] (November 1, 2007, Kyodo News)

Representatives from the Japanese government released the following information on ministerial meetings to journalists covering the Heiligendamm summit:

• Tokyo International Conference on African Development, May 28-30, Yokohama
• G20 Dialogue: March 14-16, Chiba
• Development: Early April, Tokyo
• Labour: May 11-13, Niigata
• Environment: May 24-26, Kobe
• Justice and Interior: June 11-13, Tokyo
• Energy: June 7-8, Aomori
• Finance Ministers: June 13-14, Osaka
• Foreign Ministers: June 26-27, Kyoto
• Summit: July 7-9, Toyako, Hokkaido[89] (June 6, 2007, updated October 26, November 9, November 26, 2007)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan released dates for ministerial meetings: G8 Foreign Ministers on June 26-27 in Kyoto, G8 Development Ministers in early April in Tokyo and the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development on May 28-30 in Yokohama.[90] (May 29, 2007, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

"Finance ministers will meet in the western city of Osaka, foreign ministers in the ancient capital of Kyoto and environment ministers in the nearby port town of Kobe. Justice and home affairs ministers are slated to meet in Tokyo, while labor ministers will convene in the northern coastal city of Niigata. The Tokyo suburb of Chiba will host a Group of Twenty conference on global warming and clean energy, and Yokohama will hold talks on African development."[91] (May 19, 2007, Mainichi News)

The first ministerial meeting is set to be held in March 2008.[92] The Japanese government is also considering holding a meeting of justice and internal affairs ministers in Tokyo.[93] (April 24, 2007, Jiji Press English News Service)

The following cities have informally been selected to host ministerial meetings in 2008: Kyoto will host the foreign ministers meetings, Osaka will host the finance ministers meeting, Kobe will host the environment ministers and Niigata will host the labour ministers.[94] (April 23, 2007, Kyodo News)

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Finance

G7 finance leaders will likely pledge to work together in coping with the credit market crunch arising from the U.S. subprime mortgage loan problem when they gather in Washington in October. "Basically, [the G7] will confirm international cooperation" in dealing with the recent turbulence in global financial markets, Japanese Finance Minister Nukaga said.[95] (October 15, 2007, Kyodo News)

The G7 are likely to discuss foreign exchange rates, state-controlled funds, the world economy, markets and the transparency of sovereign wealth funds at their upcoming meeting in Washington, according to Japanese Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga.[96] (October 15, 2007, Dow Jones International News)

Japan and the United States are both concerned over sovereign wealth funds, and according to Cabinet Office sources in Japan, Japan will undoubtedly back the U.S. proposal for a set of guidelines which will demand better disclosure by the sovereign funds and give governments greater ability to scrutinize their activities.[97] (October 15, 2007, AFX International Focus)

The euro is not likely to receive mention in the G7 communique at the October G7 meeting in Washington, DC, according to Eisuke Sakakibara, Japan's former vice finance minister for international affairs.[98] (October 15, 2007, Dow Jones International News)

Japan is not likely to lift its own rates, even though Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui recently said that "monetary policies overseas won't tie the bank's hands," according to Sakakibara, Japan's former vice finance minister for international affairs.[99] (October 15, 2007, Dow Jones International News)

The FSF has set up a working group to produce a report which it will deliver an interim of in February in Japan. It will address the role of rating agencies, oversight issues, appropriate accounting of derivatives, raising international transparency on financial markets and concerns improving the risk management of financial market players.[100] (October 12, 2007, Reuters News)

Japan would like to keep the subject of increased hedge fund transparency on the agenda during its G7 presidency next year, according to German Deputy Finance Minister Mirow.[101] (October 12, 2007, Reuters News)

German Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Mirow has said that the G7 has put together a working group to look for lessons to be learned from the recent market turmoil. It is to focus on the role of rating agencies, government oversight, the role of banking derivatives and questions of enhances transparency and risk management in financial markets. The group is to present its initial report in November in Japan, with the final report expected sometime in April in Washington.[102] (October 12, 2007, Dow Jones International News)

The G7 leaders are still debating whether or not the U.S. dollar should be discussed at the upcoming meeting in Washington, D.C. Planners from all of the G7 countries, including Japan, said they "are currently deliberating over the content and wording of the closely watched communiqué to be issued after the meeting."[103] (September 28, 2007, Dow Jones International News)

In anticipation of the upcoming meeting of G7 leaders in Washington, D.C., Japan's Finance Minister said, "Japan's economy is carrying on its recovery trend and the global economy is also keeping track on the economic explanation. It is important to share opinions to establish healthy markets and provide a relief to investors."[104] (September 27, 2007, AFX International Focus)

Japan's Finance Minister, Fukushiro Nukaga said that at the meeting in Washington, D.C. at the end of October, G7 leaders will work to share information to maintain a stable global market.[105] (September 27, 2007, Dow Jones International News)

A Bank of Japan policy setter, Miyako Suda said, "problems in the US housing market would last longer than previously expected, but that a US slowdown was unlikely to hurt Japan."[106] (September 27, 2007 New Zealand Press Association)

Japanese Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga said that the G7 would talk about U.S. subprime mortgage problems at the October 19-22 meetings in Washington, D.C. He noted how important it is to maintain a "stable global market," and went on to say that the G7 leaders must share information toward "building a market that provides reassurance to investors."[107] (September 27, 2007, Dow Jones International News)

Japanese Finance Minister Nukaga said that he does not believe that currency movements will be a "big theme" at the upcoming G7 meeting in Washington, D.C at the end of October.[108] (September 27, 2007, New Zealand Press Association)

The former Japanese Vice Finance Minister for International Affairs said, "The G7 will debate various policy issues to restore stability in global financial markets based on a report to be submitted by the Financial Stability Forum, which advises the G7." He went on to say that there will likely be a statement on US subprime mortgage woes, and that the "G7 financial chiefs are likely to discuss four points [at the upcoming meeting in Washington, October 19-22]: 'risk management in complicated financial products, how to treat structured products in accounting, the role of credit-rating agencies in securitized products and appropriate supervision of financial entities dealing with securitized products."[109] (September 21, 2007, Kyodo News)

Japanese sources have said that the Group of Seven is planning on seeking advice for an international group of financial regulators and investors on how to deal with 'U.S. subprime mortgage woes.' If everything goes as planned, the Financial Stability Forum (FSF) will likely submit advice to the G7 meeting that is going to be held in February 2008. In May 2007, the FSF also responded to a G7 request for advice on hedge funds, to which they proposed a full review of the industry's business practices.[110] (September 14, 2007, Jiji Press English News Service)

Japan's new finance minister called for the Group of Seven industrialized nations to learn lessons from financial market turbulence triggered by turmoil in the US credit market. The G7 will hold its regular meeting in Washington in October.[111] (September 2, 2007, AFX International Focus)

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Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan released the following information regarding the First Liaison meeting for the 2008 Summit. On July 10 at 4:10 p.m., the First Liaison Meeting for the Hokkaido Toyako Summit 2008 chaired by Mr. Taro Aso, the former Minister for Foreign Affairs was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Aso stated that the G8 Summit would be Japan's most important diplomatic event next year, and hence needed to be a success. He stressed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as a whole, must make its utmost efforts for its preparations in cooperation with the related ministries and other stakeholders. Following Mr. Ado's remarks, Mr. Hiroshi Fukada, the former Secretary General for the G8 Summit and now the Prime Minister, reported on the progress of the preparations as well as other logistical considerations for the Hokkaido Toyako Summit and the G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The establishment of this Liaison Meeting was announced by Mr. Aso on June 12 when the Cabinet approved the holding of the Hokkaido Toyako Summit.[112] (July 17, 2007, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

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Energy

The Aomori prefectural government said it will host a meeting of G8 energy ministers in the city of Aomori on June 7-8, 2008. In addition to the G8 member-states, China, South Korea and India will attend the meeting. There will be approximately 100 to 200 participants at the meeting including delegates from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and two other international organizations.[113] (November 1, 2007, Kyodo News)

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Environment

The environment ministers' meeting, scheduled in Kobe, was changed from its originally scheduled date, May 25-27, 2008 to May 24-26, 2008, according to officials from the Japanese government. (October 22, 2007)

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G20

A G20 conference on global warming and clean energy will be held in Tokyo.[114] (May 10, 2007, Associated Press Newswires)

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Tokyo International Conference on African Development

The Foreign Ministry of Japan launched a secretariat to prepare for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Yokohama next May, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said. "TICAD, along with the Toyako (Group of Eight) Summit, will be the most important diplomatic events next year," Komura told a news conference. Shuichiro Megata, ambassador in charge of African affairs and a personal representative of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda for Africa, was appointed head of the 40-member secretariat, the ministry said.[115] (November 15, 2007, Kyodo News)

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Gleneagles Dialogue

The Japanese government will host a meeting of the Gleneagles Dialogue in March 2008. "The Japanese Government has set out objectives in terms of progress towards a stabilization goal, and agreement on the need for improving energy efficiency and scaling up financing."[116] (September 28, 2007, The Korea Herald)

From September 9-11, 2007, "the energy and environment ministers from the 20 major energy-consuming countries will meet in Berlin for the third 'Gleneagles Dialogue.' Following the meeting in Berlin, another conference is to be held in Japan in the spring of 2008. The results of the Gleneagles Dialogue will be reported at the 2008 G8 Summit under the Japanese presidency."[117] (according to sources at the German Federal Government)

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Japan's G8 Team

• Yasuo Fukuda, Prime Minister
• Yohei Kono, House of Representatives Speaker (Sherpa)
• Masahiko Koumura, Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Fukushiro Nukaga, Minister of Finance
• Ichiro Kamoshita, Minister of the Environment, Minister in Charge of Global Environmental Problems
• Yoichi Masuzoe, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare
• Akira Amari, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
• Hunio Hatoyama, Minister of Justice
• Shigeru Ishiba, Minister of Defense
• Kisaburo Tokai, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
• Tetsuzo Fuyushiba, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Minister for Ocean Policy
• Masatoshi Wakabayashi, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• Nobutaka Machimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Minister of State for the Abduction Issue
• Hiroya Masuda, Minister of International Affairs and Communications, Minister of State for Decentralization Reform, Regional Revitalization, Regional Government (doshu-sei), and Privatization of the Postal Services
• Hiroko Ota, Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
• Yoko Kamikawa, Minister of State for Gender Equality and Social Affairs
• Shinya Izumi, Minister of State, Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, Minister of State for Disaster Management and Food Safety
• Fumio Kishida, Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs, Science and Technology Policy, Quality-of-Life Policy, and Regulatory Reform
• Yoshimi Watanabe, Minister of State for Financial Services and Administrative Reform
• Yoshio Nagasaki, Mayor of Toyako Town [118]

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Notes

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Earlier Versions

• February 21, 2007
• April 25, 2007
• April 30, 2007
• July 3, 2007
• September 21, 2007
• October 15, 2007
• October 29, 2007
• November 9, 2007

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