In Tokyo on Sunday, anti-G8 summit protesters braved heavy rain to march through the streets, accusing the Group of Eight rich nations of causing poverty and world instability. The protests, a common occurrence at G8 summits, took place as Japan increased security measures for the upcoming July 7-9 gathering in Hokkaido. Over 1,000 people, including anti-capitalists, labor union members, and international protesters, participated in two separate rallies in Tokyo. The protesters carried signs with various messages, such as "shut down G8 summit" and "G8=hunger", as they walked through the central shopping districts. Despite heavy police presence, some protesters clashed with law enforcement. 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 municipal government employee in western Japan, expressed frustration with the G8 governments, attributing issues like environmental destruction and poverty in Africa to their actions. Ahead of the upcoming summit at Lake Toya, located 760 km north of Tokyo, various domestic and international NGOs, including Oxfam, are planning protests on topics such as globalization, the food crisis, and wars. Protests are anticipated to occur near the summit location, with protesters expected to gather at three camp sites, as well as in Tokyo and Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido. However, tight security measures and the high cost of travel to the remote summit site may reduce the number of participants. Human rights attorneys have noted that Japanese immigration authorities are making it difficult for some activists to obtain visas by complicating the application process, leading to reports of activists being detained for extended periods at immigration checkpoints. Last year, during the G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, approximately 30,000 protesters gathered in the area and breached a restricted zone set up for the summit, as well as obstructing land routes into the area. At Lake Toya, leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States will address 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 on the sidelines.