Tokyo - As the leaders of the world's largest economies gathered in the northern island of Hokkaido Monday for the Group of Eight (G8) summit, an estimated 150 people set out on a protest rally from the town of Date.

Demonstrators shouted slogans such as, "Stop exporting nuclear power plants," "Stop G8" and "G8 should take responsibility of world poverty and food crisis."

No arrests were made during Monday's protest, which was held on the opposite side of Lake Toya from where the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States are meeting in a luxury hotel.

Four people were arrested Saturday in Sapporo, when an estimated 5,000 people from non-governmental and civil groups demonstrated against the G8's failure to deal with world poverty and war. (dpa)