Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine has asked the Foreign Ministry to allow China to participate in the July 21-23 Group of Eight summit in some form, prefectural officials said.
Inamine made the request in a meeting Thursday with Vice Foreign Minister Yutaka Kawashima, who arrived earlier in the day to inspect sites and facilities in Nago, where the G8 leaders will meet, the officials said.
Kawashima said the ministry will study the request.
In Tokyo, government sources told Kyodo News that Beijing's participation in the G8 summit is unlikely as some G8 members oppose the idea because China is a communist country. Beijing has also repeatedly said it has no intention of attending.