34th G8 Summit
Written by: adekun on 6 July, 2008 10:54 pm - Filed under: blog ?
As world leaders arrive for the G8 summit so has the warmer weather. Down in Kyūshū it was over 36°C. In Hokkaido, a key point on the agenda is rising costs. Even the ‘cost’ of hosting the event is up with the Japanese government splashing out a cool £285m, half of which is on security. According to The Guardian it is perhaps is a little less lavish than the last the country hosted:
Japan is touting Lake Toya as the “compact” summit in an attempt to banish memories of Okinawa 2000, an 80bn-yen orgy of excess during which the leaders lunched on Beluga caviar and foie gras while Jacques Chirac held court on his love of sumo wrestling. The lesson does not seem to have been learned: this week 60 top chefs will prepare the leaders’ meals, although the menu and its cost are closely guarded secrets.
This year’s resort sits 625m atop a mountain looking like something from a Gerry Anderson’s Supermarionation production. Access by its only road seems one of the many measures in place to keep people’s voices as far away has possible.
Every issue to be discussed seems to effect the poorest the greatest. With all this excess, I hope those representing the affluent will not renege on previous commitments as leaked reports indicate. These are all man-made problems, many of which persist.
weekendfarmer
11 July, 2008 #
sad - isnt it? Is it in Hokkaido? One of my brother-in-laws is there who got summoned for a meeting. I am thinking this would be it.
adekun
12 July, 2008 #
That’s the one. I suppose I should think of this for what it is - a meeting of the largest economies; not a forum for sorting out problems. I was thinking why can’t they bring sandwiches?
weekendfarmer
14 July, 2008 #
or sushi : )
adekun
16 July, 2008 #
Bentō? Here’s what the Wikipedia says: