Top > What's up around the Prime Minister > August, 2006

Prime Minister Visits Mongolia Thursday, August 10 to Friday, August 11, 2006 JAPANESE Click photographs to enlarge Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, having left Haneda Airport on August 10 to visit Mongolia, arrived at the capital of Ulan Bator on the afternoon of the same day (Japan time: the same). After attending the welcome ceremony at Sukhbaatar Square, Prime Minister Koizumi moved to a government building to hold talks with Mr. Miyeegombyn Enkhbold, the Prime Minister of Mongolia. During the talks, the two leaders agreed that Japan and Mongolia, which has diplomatic relations with North Korea and borders on Russia and China, would hold dialogues to exchange information on Asia's regional situation. The leaders also agreed that Mongolia would gain policy assistance from Japan for improving the investment environment for the development of underground resources in Mongolia. The Mongolian side further expressed its continued support for Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Following the meeting, a signing ceremony concerning economic cooperation was held. Prime Minister Koizumi thereafter presented books of the Japanese folktales "Kasa Jizo (Kasa Guardian Deity)" and "Tsuru no Ongaeshi (The Grateful Crane)." This was in response to a proposal made by Prime Minister Enkhbold during his visit to Japan in March for a Mongolian school textbook to carry a Japanese story. After that, the two leaders held a joint press conference. In the evening, Prime Minister Koizumi viewed the opera "Genghis Khan" at the National Opera and Ballet Theater before he attended a banquet hosted by Prime Minister Enkhbold at the State Guest House. On the morning of August 11, Prime Minister Koizumi offered flowers at the memorial monument for the Japanese dead in mourning for those Japanese who were forcibly detained after the end of the Second World War and died in Mongolia despite their wishes to return home. Prime Minister Koizumi thereafter observed a Mini Naadam in the suburbs of Ulan Bator, a traditional festival comprising Mongolian wrestling, horse racing, archery, and traditional dances. In the afternoon, Prime Minister Koizumi held talks with Mr. Nambaryn Enkhbayar, the President of Mongolia, during a luncheon hosted by the president in a ger, a traditional housing facility of Mongolia. The two leaders agreed to further promote cooperative relations in the respective fields of politics, economics, and culture. View Video (Available only in Japanese) Real(Narrowband) / Real(Broadband) Windows Media(Narrowband) / Windows Media(Broadband)