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TOYAKO, Japan, July 7 (Reuters) - Leaders from the Group of Eight (G8) voiced concerns about the political situation in Zimbabwe when they met with African leaders on Monday, a Japanese official said.

Zimbabwe has been condemned by the international community since Mugabe, who has held power since its independence from Britain in 1980, was declared re-elected after a run-off in June in which he was the only candidate after the opposition withdrew.

"The G8 expressed concerns about Zimbabwe," the Japanese official said after the G8 leaders met with leaders of Algeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania on the first day of a three-day summit in northern Japan.

"The African side expressed understanding of such concerns," he said.

The Africans emphasised that a dialogue with Mugabe was continuing under the auspices of the African Union, which the G8 side also supported, the official said.

"One thing to keep in mind when monitoring the situation is that Mugabe may be leaving the political scene in a few years," one African leader was quoted as saying.

The Japanese official declined to specify which leader said what at the meeting.

Some countries that already have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe said stronger sanctions might be needed, he added. (Reporting by Yoko Nishikawa, Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

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