A key topic for discussion at last week's Group of Seven finance ministers' meeting was information technology, indicating that the leaders of industrial nations have recognized the important role IT plays in global economic growth and development.

The G7 ministers wound up the meeting in Fukuoka on Saturday after adopting reports on IT and other key subjects to be passed on to the Group of Eight summit to be held in Okinawa later this month.

The G7 move has cleared up doubts about the potential benefits offered by IT.