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Cockroaches plague

G8 summit

TOKYO: Fast-breeding giant cockroaches threaten to plague world leaders at a Group of Eight (G8) summit to be held in Japan, a newspaper said here on Saturday.

"Some of the cockroaches are reaching abnormal lengths of 35 centimeters (11 inches) and the government is concerned over its ability to keep them from marring the event," said the Japan Times.

The pests were breeding at an accelerated rate and threatening to overrun the G8 summit in Nago on Japan's southern island of Okinawa from July 21-23, it said.

Local authorities set up a headquarters to consider how to stamp out the problem, the Japan Times said, and Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi had been informed of the threatened infestation.

The premier would set up an advisory group to study fighting the cockroaches, said the newspaper.ÑAFP