
The government has decided to give representatives of countries and the press who will attend the upcoming Group of Eight summit in Hokkaido a set of three traditional Japanese items--furoshiki wrapping cloth, chopsticks and a fan--as a souvenir of the occasion, according to sources. As environmental issues, including measures to fight global warming, are scheduled to become the main topic for debate at the G-8 summit talks to be held in Toyakocho in July, the government hopes to present an image of Japan as a country that is environmentally conscious by giving away items that can be used repeatedly and are environmentally friendly, the sources said.