Thousands of protestors have called for the G8 group of industrialised nations to be disbanded.

Representatives from the US, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia are due to meet for an annual summit at the resort of Toyako in northern Japan on Monday.

Demonstrators in Sapporo banged drums and carried banners proclaiming "Shut Down the G8" and yelled: "We are against a summit of rich nations".

The group's summits have become a magnet for protesters angry about everything from climate change to the effects of globalisation.

Environmentalists are urging the G8 to set bold targets for cutting C02 emissions by 2050.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for the meeting to include China and India as well as representatives from Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

He said: "The truth is that if we want peace and world development, everybody needs to be invited.

"I do not accept that a continent of 1 billion people like Africa does not have a country to represent it at the table of world leaders."

But this year's G8 host, Japan, argues that the current size works well, with other countries brought into the group for discussions on specific issues.

The G8 nations will meet eight other countries including China, India and Brazil, in an expanded Major Economies Meeting on Wednesday to look at long-term targets for climate change.

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