The agenda at the meeting, held in Kyoto, was due to include Iran's nuclear policy, the Zimbabwe crisis and reconstruction in Afghanistan. But most of the talk has been of North Korea - perhaps - coming in from the cold.
Following the China's announcement, US President George Bush announced he was easing some trade sanctions under the Trading With The Enemy Act and notified the US Congress he was removing North Korea from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, effective after a 45-day review period.
This decision would help to clear the way for the country to receive US aid and international loans. The announcement has troubled G8 host Japan, which had been pressing Washington to leave the regime on the list. Japan's determination to isolate Pyongyang stems from a long-standing dispute over abductions of Japanese citizens.
In 2002, North Korea admitted kidnapping Japanese civilians during the 1970s and 1980s to have them train spies in Japanese language and culture.
It later freed five of the victims and their families and claimed that the case was closed. However, earlier this year, the regime agreed to reopen the investigation. But families of victims are still outraged at the announcement that the Bush government has now eased its stance on Pyongyang.
The official reaction from Japan was muted, with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda saying that Tokyo welcomed any steps to rid the communist state of its nuclear arsenal.
The foreign ministers of the Group of Eight - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States - are expected to discuss further steps in North Korea's nuclear disarmament.
French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, said that France would wait for the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to investigate before France would consider establishing diplomatic relations with Pyongyang.
