Superlative visits

More than 80 heads of state or governments, as well as royals, will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games today. The circumstances of their visits are as varied as the countries from which they hail, so China Daily has selected seven whose journeys can be categorized with superlatives.

The most rushed: Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda

Fukuda is scheduled to land in Beijing this morning. He will join world leaders for lunch in the Great Hall of the People and attend a meeting with President Hu Jintao. Fukuda will leave for Japan immediately after the opening ceremony. French President Nicolas Sarkozy's Olympic tour has a similar timetable.