By Prensa Latina,
Tokyo : Thousands of people demonstrated Saturday in the northern Japanese city of Hokkaido in advance of next week’s summit of the eigth most developed nations (G8).
Farmers, students, trade union representatives, activists and pacifist took over the streets under the slogan “Stop G-8 Summit that only creates poverty,”
Protesters were carrying messages for G8 leaders asking them to take action on a number of issues, including soaring food prices.
They also denounced the G8 itself for such ills as war, discrimination, poverty and global climate change
Takashi Shimosawa, an activist from the non governmental forum, said that many of them agreed that politicians are not doing their best to avoid the negative consequences of globalization.
Activist Walden Bello wondered who gave the G-8, made up of the seven most developed countries plus Russia, the right to rule the world.
G-8 has taken the world to its most serious crisis in the last 50 years, he added.
The G8 leaders will convene at a nearby luxury resort on Monday for a three-day summit.
The G8 includes the United States, Japan, Russia, France, Britain, Canada, Italy and Germany.