The Group of Eight foreign ministers, who meet Wednesday for two days of talks in Miyazaki, are likely to give formal endorsement to North Korea's recent moves to improve its relations with the international community, highlighted by the unprecedented inter-Korean summit last month in Pyongyang.
While the ministers' support for the two Koreas' agreement to pursue reunification is expected, the G8 may underline a series of concerns that need to be resolved, including Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs, before discussing steps to enhance ties with North Korea.
Based on the foreign-ministerial talks, the G8 leaders are expected to issue a special statement on the state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula at the July 21-23 Okinawa summit in Nago, Okinawa.