During his trip to the other Group of Eight countries, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori met with Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, at the European Union representative office in Rome on May 1 and requested his cooperation in making the July G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit a success.

During his trip to the other Group of Eight countries, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori met with Prime Minister Giuliano Amato of the Italian Republic in Rome. Referring to specific issues to be addressed at the July G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit, Prime Minister Mori requested Prime Minister Amato's cooperation in ensuring the success of the Summit. Of the issues mentioned by Prime Minister Mori, Prime Minister Amato identified the safety of genetically modified foods and the aging of society as especially important. In addition, the two leaders confirmed the urgent need for reform of the United Nations Security Council. Prime Minister Amato indicated that he thought both Italy and Japan should become permanent members of the Security Council, and Prime Minister Mori said that he hoped to consult still more closely with Italy to advance U.N. reform.

During his trip to the other Group of Eight countries, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori met with President Jacques Chirac of the French Republic at the Elysee Palace. President Chirac pledged his utmost support to ensure the success of the July G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit and requested that the Summit address seven items, including the development of new industries generated by the information technology revolution and stabilization of the financial system. Prime Minister Mori replied that he also saw these areas as important and he hoped they could pool their ideas. (Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Mori had met with French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.)

During his trip to the other Group of Eight countries, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori met with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of the Federal Republic of Germany in Berlin. The two leaders confirmed that they would cooperate in advancing reform of the United Nations Security Council in conjunction with the U.N. Millennium Summit in September. Chancellor Schroeder requested that the July G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit give priority to addressing the issues of debt relief for the poorest countries and conflict prevention.

During his trip to the other Group of Eight countries, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori met with Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom in London. Prime Minister Mori briefed Prime Minister Blair on the agenda of the July G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit and requested his cooperation. The two leaders agreed that the information technology revolution and measures to lessen the so-called digital divide would be important topics at the Summit. Prime Minister Blair pledged his cooperation to ensure the success of the Summit, based on his relationship of friendship and trust with Prime Minister Mori.
In addition, members of a rugby club made up mainly of members of parliament paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Mori and presented him with a jersey in the club colors, red and black. Prime Minister Mori and the British MPs enjoyed a lively discussion of rugby, their common passion.

During his trip to the other Group of Eight countries, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori met with Prime Minister Jean Chretien of Canada in the Parliament building, in Ottawa. The two leaders confirmed that they would build on the September 1999 visit to Japan of "Team Canada," led by Prime Minister Chretien, to achieve still closer bilateral relations. They also agreed to cooperate to ensure the success of the July G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit.

On the final leg of his trip to the other Group of Eight countries, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori met with President Bill Clinton of the United States at the White House, in Washington, D.C. The two leaders agreed that in addition to continued measures to stimulate the economy, Japan needed to press ahead with bold structural reform, for the sake of both Japan's economic recovery and the stability of the world economy. They also exchanged views on the main agenda items of the July G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit and confirmed that they would cooperate to ensure the success of the Summit.

Julian Dunn, the fifty-third All-America Cherry Blossom Queen , and Mayu Yasuda, the eighteenth Japan Cherry Blossom Queen, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. The Prime Minister and Ms. Dunn chatted about Western movies set in her home state of Kansas, her favorite sport of volleyball, and other subjects.

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori met with President Arnoldo Aleman of the Republic of Nicaragua at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. This was the first visit to Japan by a president of Nicaragua since 1991, when President Violeta Chamorro had visited. President Aleman expressed his gratitude for Japan's invaluable assistance when Nicaragua was struggling to recover from the effects of civil war and for Japan's assistance in the wake of Hurricane Mitch in the autumn of 1998.

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori visited Okinawa Prefecture for the first time since assuming office. He attended the inauguration ceremony of the Bankoku Shinryokan, the main venue of the July Group of Eight Kyushu-Okinawa Summit, and toured Shuri Castle and other Summit-related sites. Speaking at the Bankoku Shinryokan ceremony, the Prime Minister emphasized his wish to "send out a bright and powerful message from Okinawa." He also attended the Elementary and Junior High School Students' Summit in Okinawa, organized by the Okinawa G8 Summit Host Preparation Council, and received the declaration issued by the Students' Summit.

The Commission on Making Things, chaired by Professor Hajime Karatsu of Tokai University, presented its report to Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori at the Prime Minister's Residence. The report includes nine "messages" for ensuring Japan's continued skill in making things and policy proposals focused on four main areas: development and securing of human resources to lead the way in making things, optimal utilization of information technology, enhancement of skill in managing large-scale projects, and improvement of the business climate for manufacturing industries.

The eleventh joint meeting of the Advanced Information and Telecommunications Society Promotion Headquarters and its Advisory Council was held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori stressed the need for swift and appropriate measures to build public confidence in the advanced information and telecommunications society. He also said that the July Group of Eight Kyushu-Okinawa Summit would address problems accompanying the information-technology revolution.

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."