You know your event planning has gone a bit off when the only thing the world’s media can write about is the number of bouncers you’ve laid on at the front door and that the guest list was woefully small.

At this week’s G8 summit in Hokkaido, the only winners seemed to be the thousands of police from elsewhere in Japan who got a summer field trip to the country’s northern island to provide protection – but really found an opportunity to stock up on Royce’ chocolates and crab legs for their families – and the Ainu people, who gained long overdue recognition as an indigenous people. My colleague Fiona summed it up best by saying there was more excitement and need for security at the Mitsukoshi summer sale in Sapporo than for the leaders about to descend on the Royal Windsor hotel.