He may not have had time to enjoy the white sand beaches at the Baltic resort of Heiligendamm, Germany, but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was undoubtedly relieved heading home from his debut at the Group of Eight summit, having secured an agreement to address climate change that he claimed was "centered on my proposal."
For Abe, who desperately needs to pull himself out of a slump in public support back home with only a month to go before a crucial House of Councilors election, the G8 summit proved to be a precious opportunity to raise his profile both domestically and internationally.
Soon after the summit concluded Friday, Abe was quick to take credit for bridging the differences between Europe and the United States and sealing an agreement that he said largely reflects his initiatives.