DEAUVILLE, France (CP) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with his Japanese counterpart in France this morning ahead of the formal start to the G8 meetings.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan congratulated Harper on his recent election victory and also thanked Canada for its support in the aftermath of Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami in March.

Harper told Kan that Canada's offer of assistance in helping Japan recover from the effects of the disaster still stands.

Canadian officials are also helping the Japanese monitor the fallout from the quake-ravaged Fukushima nuclear plant.

Nuclear safety and Japan's precarious economy are the first subjects up for discussion at the formal G8 talks that begin over a working lunch later today.

The uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa will also be key topics discussed later in the summit.