Last week's visit to Japan by German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a sobering lesson in G8 politics. Germany currently holds the G8 presidency but will pass the baton to Japan in January.
While it is uncertain whether Abe will still be in position to receive the presidency, he will certainly benefit from studying Merkel's recent performances in Japan and China.
Merkel's visit to Japan wasn't predominantly a Germany-Japan meeting, although both sides discussed bilateral matters, such as joint efforts to reform the U.N. Security Council or Japan's status as a partner country at the upcoming Hannover Messe industrial fair in Germany in 2008. Rather, the meeting offered a valuable opportunity for a detailed briefing on G8 topics to be given from the president to the successor.