By Xinhua,
Toyako (Japan) : Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda officially announced here Sunday he would attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics Aug 8.
Fukuda made the announcement at a joint news conference in the northern Japanese resort of Toyako with US President George W. Bush.
Fukuda said that he kept his decision up to now because he had to work out his schedule since there would be an important domestic event the day after the opening ceremony. But now he found it possible to attend both events.
Bush also reiterated at the press conference that he would be present at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.
“I view the Olympics as an opportunity for me to cheer on the athletes,” he said.
“Not going to the opening ceremony for the games would be an affront to the Chinese people,” he said.
Fukuda and Bush are here to attend the three-day Group of Eight (G8) summit that will begin Monday.
Before the press conference, the two leaders held bilateral talks that touched on a wide range of issues.