Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (R) shakes hands with US President George W. Bush in a greeting ceremony hosted by Fukuda in the first official day of the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, at Lake Toyoko, Hokkaido Prefecture, northern Japan，July 7, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

The three-day summit of the Group of Eight (G8) kicked off on Monday with the first session between leaders of the industrialized nations and their counterparts from seven African countries.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who is playing host for the G8 gathering, greeted other G8 leaders and the African leaders at the start of a working lunch which began at 12:30 local time at a lakeside resort of Toyako on the northern island of Hokkaido.