TOKYO, July 4 (Xinhua) -- 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.