TOKYO: Japan expressed reservations Thursday against a plan by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to expand the G8 group of industrial powers into a G14 by including major emerging economies. Is this something that France can decide unilaterally? asked Japan s top spokesman Takeo Kawamura in his regular press conference. If the summit was to be transformed into a G14, it would be necessary to make clear on what basis we do so, the chief cabinet secretary was quoted as saying by the Jiji Press news agency. Sarkozy said Wednesday he plans to push for the G8 group of industrial nations - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States - to become a G14 when Paris presides over the group in 2011. I note with pleasure that the transformation of the G8 into the G14 has taken a decisive step forward, Sarkozy told a meeting of French ambassadors in Paris, noting that France has supported Brazil s call for an end to the G8. The Canadian presidency in 2010 will conduct the bulk of its summit as the G14 and we intend to totally finish the transformation into the G14 under the French presidency in 2011, he promised. Already at this year s G8 summit in L Aquila, Italy, the G8 was joined by emerging economic giants Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Mexico and Egypt. The G8 already includes the biggest emerging economies in some of its deliberations, but retains its own identity as the most influential world economic policy forum, despite mounting calls to broaden its base. Japan and some other G8 members have resisted formally abandoning the G8 structure, arguing that more members would find it harder to reach a consensus on major economic policy issues. -Agencies
