23 countries to participate in Toyako summit

A record 23 countries will participate in the Group of Eight summit meeting to be held in July in Toyakocho, Hokkaido, government sources said Wednesday.

The upcoming meeting will become the largest so far after it was decided to invite 15 nonmember countries to participate in "expanded dialogue" that will focus on climate change and African development, according to the sources.

During meetings involving the G-8 member countries, Japan–the host of the summit–will propose a plan to establish the "Toyako Process" (Lake Toya Process) in which 20 countries, including major greenhouse gas emitters, will discuss a post-Kyoto Protocol framework, the sources said.