In Tokyo on Sunday, anti-G8 summit protesters marched in heavy rain, accusing the Group of Eight rich nations of causing poverty and world instability. The protests, a common occurrence at G8 summits, occurred as Japan increased security measures for this year's gathering in Hokkaido. Over 1,000 people, including anti-capitalists and labor union members from Japan and abroad, participated in two separate rallies in Tokyo. Heavy security, including hundreds of anti-riot police, was present as protesters carried signs with messages such as "shut down G8 summit" and "G8=hunger". Some protesters engaged in scuffles with the police. TV Asahi, a Japanese broadcaster, reported that two individuals had been arrested, although the police were unable to confirm this. Yu Ando, a 31-year-old municipal government worker in western Japan, expressed his belief that issues like environmental destruction and poverty in Africa are all a result of actions taken by the G8 governments. He criticized the governments for claiming to be able to solve these issues. Ahead of the summit at Lake Toya, located about 760 km north of Tokyo, various domestic and international NGOs, including Oxfam, are planning to protest a variety of topics such as globalization, the food crisis, and wars. Protests are anticipated to occur near the summit venue, where protesters are expected to gather at three camp sites, as well as in Tokyo and Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido. However, stringent security measures and the high cost of travel to the remote summit location could potentially decrease the number of participants. Human rights lawyers have expressed concerns that Japanese immigration authorities are making it difficult for some activists to obtain visas by complicating the application process, with reports indicating that some activists were detained for hours at immigration checkpoints. During last year's G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, around 30,000 protesters converged on the area, breaching a restricted zone set up for the summit and blocking access routes. At Lake Toya, leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States will convene to discuss issues such as rising food and oil prices, climate change, and African development. Japan has extended invitations to eight additional countries, such as Brazil, China, and India, to engage in discussions about climate change alongside them.