TOYAKO, Japan (CNN) -- President Bush on Sunday defended his decision to attend next month's Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, saying that to boycott "would be an affront to the Chinese people." President Bush speaks with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda at a Sunday news conference in Toyako, Japan. Speaking to reporters ahead of this week's summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in Japan, Bush said he did not need to skip the ceremony to show his position on religious freedom and human rights in China. He said if he failed to attend the Games it would "make it more difficult to be able to speak more frankly with the Chinese leadership."
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Bush defends decision to attend next month's Olympics opening ceremony
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Bush spoke as G-8 leaders arrived in Japan ahead of summit starting Monday
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Climate change expected to be focus of three-day summit
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G-8 leaders also expected to discuss global economy, Zimbabwe
As world leaders began arriving for the summit, more than 1,000 people protested in northern @placeholder against the event.