Japan will occupy an influential position in 2008, particularly in relation to African development. It is presiding over the G8 and will host the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in July. It is also hosting the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) at the end of May. Japan has sought to develop a leadership role in Africa through this forum, which is convened once every five years. How and where could Japan bring its influence to bear this year, particularly with regard to African development? How might this influence impact upon the international development agenda in 2008 and beyond? ODI is organising a series of events in the lead up to both TICAD IV and the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit to analyse these and other questions. This podcast looks at these questions, with views from Fletcher Tembo, ODI; and Izumi Ohno, Kenichi Ohno, and Jean Denis Nkongolo Elumba of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo,