The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Tokyo

Japan is considering inviting Asian countries, including China and ASEAN states, to this year's Group of Eight (G8) summit, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Japan will host the summit in Toyako, a lakeside resort on the northern island of Hokkaido, from July 7 to 9.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda plans to invite leaders of China, South Korea and Indonesia as part of an effort to strengthen his country's ties with its Asian partners, the Nikkei business daily said.

Fukuda also plans to ask Thailand, which now chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to participate, while Australia may be on his invite list, the newspaper said.

Japan will also ask regular guest states-India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa-to join in the talks.

A wider invitation is also aimed at stimulating debate over climate change, which is high on the summit's agenda, the report said.

G8 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.