Leaders of the Group of Eight nations have for now agreed to disagree on expanding their exclusive club to include emerging economies, but the debate is expected to continue next year and beyond.

The proposal by French President Nicolas Sarkozy appears to have made Japan uneasy as host of this year's G8 summit, and the initial outcome must have been a relief to the only Asian country in the group.

Sarkozy's argument centers on enlarging the summit membership to include China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa to address global issues more effectively.

It is true that there are a number of issues the G8 alone cannot resolve, including global warming, as well as rising food and crude oil prices — all among the main topics for discussion at the summit in Toyako, Hokkaido.