OSAKA — While officials of the Group of Eight countries are busy preparing for this year's summit in Japan, the country's major nongovernmental organizations are also gearing up for the event, which will culminate when world leaders meet in Lake Toya, Hokkaido, in early July.
The leaders of Japan, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Russia are expected to address four areas of concern: global warming and climate change, African aid, economic issues, including oil prices, and nuclear nonproliferation.
NGOs are expected to play a big role at the summit, and the 2008 Japan G8 NGO Forum, which groups various NGOs, will be presenting their views on a range of issues to participating governments and the international media.