In 2008 , the 34th G8 summit in Tōyako , Hokkaidō coincided with Tanabata . As host , Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda invited the G8 leaders to participate in the spirit of the festival . They were each asked to write a wish on a piece of paper called '' tanzaku '' , to hang the '' tanzaku '' on a bamboo tree , and then to take the necessary actions to change the world for the better . As a symbolic gesture , the actual writing and the act of hanging up that note is at least a first step
34th G8 summit
34th G8 summit
Tanabata