Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori attended a meeting of the Committee on Urban Regeneration (Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Region) in Osaka. He exchanged views with regional governors, business representatives, and opinion leaders regarding issues and policies of urban regeneration. Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister said, "The Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe region, an urban cluster nurtured by history and tradition, has developed into one of Japan's economic hubs, but it needs to continue to generate attractive urban spaces that can hold their own in international competition among cities." He added that he strongly hoped the committee would "foster a shared sense of the significance of urban regeneration among various stakeholders in urban development and serve as a catalyst for Japan's renewal and the creation of a twenty-first century rich in dreams and vitality."