Getty Images 6 months ago

Russian Energy Minister Sergej Ivanovich Shmatko (L), Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai (R) and Egyptian Minister for Electricity Hassan Younes (Back-center) pose for a family picture of a meeting of the Group of eight (G8) Energy ministers on May 24, 2009...

Getty Images 6 months ago

Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai (R) and Indian Vice Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas R. S. Pandey take place for a meeting of the Group of eight (G8) Energy ministers on May 24, 2009 at the Excelsior hotel in Rome.

Getty Images 7 months ago

Japanese Trade, Economy and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai (C) and other ministers from major oil producers and consumers in the Middle East and Asia attend a joint press conference of the Third Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable in Tokyo on April 26, 2009.

Iraq's Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani (L) is welcomed by Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai at their meeting in Tokyo July 9, 2009.

Iraq's Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani (L) shakes hanads with Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai at their meeting in Tokyo July 9, 2009.

Iraq's Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani (L) shakes hanads with Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai at their meeting in Tokyo July 9, 2009.

Getty Images 5 months ago

Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming (L) exchanges documents with his Japanese counterpart Toshihiro Nikai from their agreement to start talks on copyright and trademark piracy, at a Tokyo hotel on June 7, 2009.

Getty Images 5 months ago

Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming (L) shakes hands with his Japanese counterpart Toshihiro Nikai as they exchange documents from their agreement to start talks on copyright and trademark piracy, at a Tokyo hotel on June 7, 2009.

Getty Images 5 months ago

Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming (L) shakes hands with his Japanese counterpart Toshihiro Nikai as they exchange documents from their agreement to start talks on copyright and trademark piracy, at a Tokyo hotel on June 7, 2009.

Getty Images 6 months ago

(From L): Italian economy development minister Claudio Scajola, Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai, Korean Vice Minister for Trade and Energy Kim Young Hak and Mexican Minister of Energy Georgina Kessel Martinez leave after a press conference after the firs...

Getty Images 6 months ago

Italian economy development minister Claudio Scajola (C) is flanked by Russian Energy Minister Sergej Ivanovich Shmatko (L) and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai and Egyptian Minister for Electricity Hassan Younes (Back-center) as they pose for a family pi...

Getty Images 6 months ago

(From L, first row): US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, British Ed Miliband, Secretery of State for Energy and Climate Change, Russian Minister of Energy Sergej Ivanovich Shmatko,Italian economy development minister Claudio Scajola, Japanese Minister of Economy Toshihiro Nikai, German S...

Getty Images 6 months ago

German State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology Bernard Pfaffenbach (R) chats with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai during a family photo of a meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) Energy ministers on May 24, 2009 in Rome.

AP Photo 6 months ago

Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai poses for a group photo during the energy meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries in Rome, Sunday, May 24, 2009.

Sergei Kirienko (L), the head of Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation, exchanges document with Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (C) and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso look on, during a signing ceremony at Aso'...

Getty Images 6 months ago

Sergei Kirienko (L) , the head of Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation, exchanges document with Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (C) and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso look on during a signing ceremony at Aso'...

Getty Images 7 months ago

United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk(L) and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai meet on Monday, May 4, 2009 at the US Trade Representative's office in Washington, DC to discuss US-Japan bilateral trade and economic issues.

Getty Images 7 months ago

United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk(L) and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai meet on Monday, May 4, 2009 at the US Trade Representative's office in Washington, DC to discuss US-Japan bilateral trade and economic issues.

Getty Images 7 months ago

United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk(L) and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai meet on Monday, May 4, 2009 at the US Trade Representative's office in Washington, DC to discuss US-Japan bilateral trade and economic issues.

AP Photo 7 months ago

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, left, greets Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai, Monday, May 4, 2009, in Washington.

AP Photo 7 months ago

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, left, greets Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai, Monday, May 4, 2009, in Washington.

AP Photo 7 months ago

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, left, and Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai, arrive for a meeting, Monday, May 4, 2009, in Washington.

Getty Images 7 months ago

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari meets with Japan's Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone during a courtesy call in Tokyo on April 16, 2009. Zardari, visiting Tokyo for a major aid conference, sought to drum up Japanese investment for his poverty-stricken country.

Getty Images 7 months ago

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari, (R) greets a Japanese official as Japan's Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone looks on during a courtesy call in Tokyo on April 16, 2009.

Getty Images 7 months ago

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari, (R) meets with Japan's Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone during a courtesy call in Tokyo on April 16, 2009. Zardari, visiting Tokyo for a major aid conference, sought to drum up Japanese investment for his poverty-stricken country.