Global governance, Japan and the Group of Seven/Eight

The Group of Seven (G7) and Group of Eight (G8) summit meetings are a very special and important forum for Japan. It represents one of the most important multilateral fora where Japan is a founding member, and up until the creation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 3, it was virtually the only multilateral forum of great diplomatic and international significance for Japan.