Abe leaves for G-8 summit debut in Germany

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left for Germany on Tuesday morning to attend a Japan-European Union summit in Berlin and make his debut at the Group of Eight nations summit in the Baltic resort of Heiligendamm, where issues related to global warming and Africa are expected to top the agenda.

Abe, plagued by domestic woes including the recent suicide by a cabinet minister, is set to take up the North Korean nuclear, missile and abduction issues and seek reconfirmation of support from his G-8 counterparts, in hopes of salvaging his falling support rating ahead of a crucial House of Councillors election next month. With Japan set to host next year's G-8 summit, the Heiligendamm meeting will test Abe's diplomatic clout as he seeks to demonstrate leadership in forging a consensus over a new international framework to fight global warming from 2013.