Jody Williams of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. The ICBL was awarded the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for contribution to international efforts for a total ban on antipersonnel landmines, mine clearance, assistance to victims, and related activities. The Prime Minister, who had signed the Ottawa Convention Against Anti-Personnel Landmines in 1997, when he was Minister for Foreign Affairs, was well acquainted with Williams. He praised the activities of the ICBL, saying that the state parties to the Ottawa Convention could never have swelled from fewer than 10 countries at the beginning of 1998 to 90 countries at present without the hard work of nongovernmental organizations. Williams expressed her gratitude for the Prime Minister's leadership.