In Tokyo on Sunday, anti-G8 summit protesters marched through the streets in heavy rain, accusing the Group of Eight rich nations of causing poverty and instability in the world. The protests, a common occurrence at G8 summits, took place as Japan increased security measures ahead of this year's gathering in Hokkaido. Over 1,000 people participated in two separate rallies in Tokyo, including anti-capitalists, labor union members, and protesters from countries like Spain and South Korea. The streets were heavily guarded by anti-riot police as protesters carried signs with messages such as "shut down G8 summit" and "G8=hunger," and some scuffles broke out between protesters and police. Japanese TV station TV Asahi reported that two individuals had been arrested, although police were unable to verify this information. Yu Ando, a 31-year-old working for a local government in western Japan, expressed frustration with the G8 governments, attributing issues like environmental destruction and poverty in Africa to their actions. Ahead of the summit at Lake Toya, located about 760 km north of Tokyo, various domestic and international NGOs, such as Oxfam, planned to protest on various issues including globalization, the food crisis, and wars. There are expected to be protests near the summit venue, with protesters gathering at three camp sites as well as in Tokyo and Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido. However, tight security and the high cost of travel to the remote summit site may decrease the turnout. Human rights lawyers have raised concerns about Japanese immigration authorities making it difficult for activists to obtain visas by complicating the application process, with reports of some activists being detained for hours at immigration. During last year's G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, approximately 30,000 protesters gathered in the area, entering a restricted zone set up for the summit and blocking land routes. At Lake Toya, leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States will discuss issues such as rising food and oil prices, climate change, and African development. Japan has extended invitations to eight other countries, such as Brazil, China, and India, to engage in discussions about climate change during a separate event.