One days before the opening of ASEM2 in London, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto met President Kim Dae Jung of Korea (ROK) for the first time. The two leaders agreed on "building a new bilateral partnership towards the 21st century," and also discussed the co-sponsorship of World Cup football in 2002, Emperor Akihito's proposed visit to Seoul and many other topics they share to ease the two nations' sentiments towards each other.
Hashimoto also invited Kim to visit Japan soon, even in the coming autumn, and Kim expressed his wish to do so before long.

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto had his first meeting with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji for about 15 minutes in London and requested his visit to Japan.
Zhu said in reply: "The hopes of both President Jiang Zemin and Vice-President Hu Jintao to visit japan reflect the importance China places on its relationship with Japan." He pledged to do what he could to promote friendly relations between the two countries.

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto visited UK Prime Minister Tony Blair at the latter's official residence. "Japanese are aware of their roles in coping with the Asian economic crises," Hashimoto said to Blair, disclosing ideas to stimulate the home economy.
He also requested that "Europe regard the Asian difficulties as part of the European agenda."
Blair recognized the economic package that Japan has launched as "a very important step."

On April 3 to 4, London hosted the 2nd ASEM in which leaders of 25 Asian and European countries and the European Commission participated.
In his speech at its opening session, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said:
"To help ourselves and Asian neighbors as well, we Japanese will effect a number of necessary economic programs including foreign aid."
Besides the Asian economy which was the main agendum of the conferees, the conference discussed global environmental protection, closer international watches on cross-border crime, and other urgent issues.
At the close of the meeting on Apr.4, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, the host, announced a "Chairman's Statement" calling for closer ties between the two regions on political affairs and economic cooperation.

Another key person for Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to meet in London was President Jacques Chirac of France.
In their meeting, Chirac emphasized the importance of Japan's role in easing Asian economic distress and asked: "How long will it be till Japan recovers its dynamic growth power?"
In reply to the French leader's concern, Hashimoto reiterated that the Japanese would implement the Government action plans as quickly as possible.

Also in London, Hashimoto met Premier of Spain, Jose Maria Aznar Lopez, and agreed with him to expand cultural and academic exchange programs between the two countries.
The leaders also agreed that the "Japanese-Spanish Symposium" held last March in Tokyo with Spanish Crown Prince Felipe would be repeated in March of 1999 in Spain.

A group of 790 new Government employees for 1998 gathered in central Tokyo to undergo a "freshmen initiation program." They represent all major Ministries and Agencies. At the start of their training they heard Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto say:
"Due to the series of reports on corruption, public servants are now under the close watch of the nation, closer than we have ever imagined. I mind you that problems of ethics are ultimately problems of your conscience. I expect each of you to discipline yourself constantly."

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto had a working luncheon with Vice President of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, at his official residence. He said to Mbeki that he would make issue of African redevelopment at the Summit meeting in Birmingham, UK, from May 15, and also that the Japanese Government would consider ways of assisting smaller businesses in South Africa.
Mbeki stressed "the importance of Africans' self-help," saying:
"Rather than expecting foreign aid, Africans should first revamp their frame of mind to solve their problems for themselves."

With Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro ushered in his official residence, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto noted to the guest his high appreciation of the Italian Government's efforts at deficit cuts to join the Euro currency union.
"It is an historical leap towards lasting peace in Europe," Scalfaro replied. "As for diplomacy and political unification, we still have a long way to go, but we will advance step by step."
A formal dinner party at the official residence followed.

At a height of springtime warmth, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto threw his annual "Cherry Blossom Viewing Party" at Shinjuku Gyoen Garden, near central Tokyo.
Invited were approximately 8,000 people including royal family members, ambassadors in Tokyo and celebrities from political, business, sports and cultural communities.
Although the "somei yoshino" (the best loved species of cherry tree) had run its flowering season, some 500 "yae" cherry trees were in full bloom. Hashimoto and guests enjoyed a completely relaxed time sightseeing and chatting.

Visiting Russian President Boris Yeltsin had an unofficial 2-day meeting with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto at Kawana Hotel in a hot spa resort area south of Tokyo.
On the 1st day, Yeltsin proposed to Hashimoto: "To conclude a peace treaty between the two countries, not merely a peace pact but a broader approach is necessary" (suggesting a pact that included economic cooperation agreements).
Yeltsin invited Hashimoto on an official visit to Russia in autumn, 1998, adding he would return Hashimotošs courtesy in 1999.
On the 2nd day, April 19, referring to their former agreement to sign a peace treaty by the year 2000, they further agreed that they would try to solve the issue of the "Northern Territories" and include "basic principles of a friendly relationship" in the same treaty.

On the night of April 21, the guest at the Prime Minister's official residence was Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao.
Hu mentioned Jiang Zemin's planned visit to Japan in the coming autumn, saying, "China attaches utmost importance to this visit.
"China and Japan should reciprocally broaden cooperative activities and form a basic framework of reciprocity for the 21st century," Hu added.
Hashimoto replied, "There was an unfortunate period between the two countries in this century. No-one can change the past, but we can shape the future the way we both wish to."

In order to revitalize the slumping domestic economy, the Cabinet in its special meeting on the economy finalized a comprehensive program worth 16.65 trillion yen, the largest ever.
7.7 trillion yen will be invested in social infrastructure, including advanced communication systems and measures to cope with lower birth rate and aging society. Four trillion yen has been earmarked for special income tax cuts over the next two years.
In real terms, the total financial burden of central and local governments will top the 10 trillion yen mark for the first time.
In this drastic program, the Government will also consider possibilities for lowering corporate taxation to an international average and make the individual income tax cut permanent.

Hashimoto met visiting French President Jacques Chirac at his official residence and briefed him on the far-reaching economic program the Government decided on April 24.
Praising this move highly, Chirac said:
"France has confidence in Japanese efforts to become strong again. I have no doubt about it as, obejectively speaking, Japan is still endowed with high levels of national savings and foreign exchange reserves."