The Group of Eight major nations will set 2015 as its goal for having universal primary education in developing countries, when their leaders gather here for the July 21-23 G8 summit, officials said Thursday.
Japan plans to include the goal in a comprehensive aid package to help developing countries mainly in Asia deal with the rapid pace of globalization and advances in information technology, the officials said.
Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has said Japan will hammer out the aid package prior to the Okinawa summit to underline its leading role as the chair nation of the G8.
The education initiative was put on the summit agenda at a three-day meeting of personal representatives (sherpas) of the G8 leaders charged with preparing for the annual summit, that commenced Thursday in Nago.