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Prime Minister Visits Africa and Europe (Sweden) Wednesday, May 3 to Thursday, May 4, 2006 JAPANESE

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Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi arrived in Stockholm, the capital of the Kingdom of Sweden, on the night of May 3 (Japan time: early morning of May 4), who is on a three-nation tour from April 29 to visit Ethiopia, Ghana, and Sweden. On the morning of May 4 (Japan time: evening of May 4) Prime Minister Koizumi observed the Tappan Preschool in the city of Stockholm and received an introduction on efforts to support child-raising in Sweden, which is known as an advanced welfare nation. Following this, Prime Minister Koizumi and Mr. Goran Persson, the Prime Minister of Sweden, held the Japan-Sweden Summit Meeting at the Prime Minister's Office. At the meeting, the two leaders discussed the necessity of conducting reform of the United Nations (UN) together with Sweden, which holds the presidency of the UN General Assembly. They also exchanged opinions on measures against declining birthrates and measures for aging and welfare. In addition, given the fact that Sweden maintains diplomatic relations with North Korea, the two leaders agreed on the importance of the abduction issue as well as on the idea of continuing to cooperate for a resolution to this issue. Afterwards, the two leaders held a joint press conference. On the afternoon of May 4 (Japan time: night of May 4), following an audience with His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of the Kingdom of Sweden at the Royal Palace, Prime Minister Koizumi departed on the government plane from Stockholm, returning to Japan on the morning of May 5.