Much at stake for Japan at upcoming G8 summit

TOKYO, July 4 (Chinese media) -- Japan, host of this year's

Group of Eight (G8) summit next week, hopes to utilize the gathering on the

northern island of Hokkaido to wield increased clout in the battle against

climate change and on African issues, shore up domestic support for Prime

Minister Yasuo Fukuda's cabinet and promote Japan's image.

At a series of G8 ministerial meetings in the run-up

to the event, Japan played an active role in preparing topics of discussion for

the summit and had its voice and pledges clearly heard. But does Japan look on

the three-day summit as a mere forum of the world's richest countries?

OPPORTUNITY TO WIELD CLOUT

As the world's second largest economy only after the

United States, Japan has long aspired to become a major political power on the

world stage, to make its presence better felt in international affairs and to

subsequently secure a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

The G8 summit bestows an unparalleled opportunity on

Japan to have a bigger say in the presence of the heads of states of the eight

key industrialized nations, as well as the leaders of major emerging economies

invited to the outreach sessions.

In addition to the traditional topic of the world

economy, the challenges of global warming are expected to top the agenda of the

three-day G8 gathering.

Having recognized its vulnerability to oil price

hikes in the first oil crisis in the early 1970s, Japan set about developing

energy-saving technologies. It has now become one of the world's most

energy-efficient nations and is taking the lead in energy conservation and

reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Home to the Kyoto Protocol, which serves as a

framework for global emission cuts by 2012, Japan is now mulling a leading role

in formulating a post-Kyoto framework for emissions reduction.

Japan also hopes to wield greater influence with

regard to Africa, the development of which will be a key issue of discussion at

the summit.

In May, Japan pledged 40 billion U.S. dollars in soft

loans and doubled Official Development Assistance, among other aid, for Africa

at the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV),

which it initiated.

Japan has invited leaders of seven African nations to

the G8 summit, hoping to take the upper hand in the hunt for Africa's rich

resources and secure the support of African nations in its bid for a permanent

Security Council seat.

POSSIBLE UPTURN FOR FUKUDA CABINET

The G8 summit will not only bring diplomatic benefits

to Japan but offer a key chance to reverse the decline of support ratings for

Prime Minister Fukuda's besieged cabinet.

Fukuda's support ratings have been shrinking over

doubts about his ability to cope with a divided parliament, the Diet, which has

delayed legislation and blocked key appointments, including road-related tax

bills and the government's first two choices for Bank of Japan governor.

Whether Fukuda can push up approval ratings for his

cabinet will largely depend on how much Japan achieves on its key proposals on

greenhouse gas emissions reduction and African development, issues still deeply

fraught with problems.

On the emissions issue, the sector-by-sector approach

proposed by Japan to patch up the differences between developed and developing

countries is yet to be widely recognized by developing countries or Japan's own

energy-consuming industries.

Japan was also criticized at the TICAD IV for its

unbalanced assistance, likely to add to the debt burden of African nations.

Under such circumstances, it is imperative for Fukuda

to utilize Japan's close ties with industrialized and major developing countries

as well as African nations, and coordinate with all parties concerned to reach a

consensus.

ENVIRONMENTAL, TOURISM SHOWCASE

With the summit drawing near, Japanese businesses are

losing no time in promoting their energy-saving or environmentally friendly

products to showcase their response to global warming, a key topic of the

gathering.

Key Japanese carmakers including Toyota, Honda and

Mazda have launched new fuel-cell cars and zero-emission electric vehicles,

which will be exhibited during the summit, with trial rides offered to delegates

from participating nations.

Some regional financial institutions, such as the

Shiga Bank, will debut "environmentally friendly financial products" as the

summit opens, to help fund enterprises committed to environmental protection.

The Japanese government also hopes to take advantage

of the summit to promote tourism. As part of the promotion program, the

traditional Japanese tea ceremony "chado" and flower arrangement "ikebana" will

be performed in the areas adjoining the summit venue and at special booths

promoting Japanese scenic spots and historical relics.