Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, aiming at ensuring that Japan is "a nation that engenders the trust of the world" as part of his pledge to undertake the "rebirth of Japan," launched diplomatic initiatives the day after he had assumed office on April 5.

Taking over from former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, who had been taken with illness, as host of this year's G8 Summit, Prime Minister Mori promptly began laying the groundwork for close relations of trust with the leaders of the other G8 Summit participants. He talked by telephone with President Bill Clinton of the United States and President Jacques Chiraq of the French Republic on April 6, with Prime Minister Jean Chretien of Canada on April 8, with Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema of the Republic of Italy, Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom, and President-elect Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation on April 10, with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of the Federal Republic of Germany on April 11, and with Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, on April 13.

Keen to further encourage forward-looking relations with the Republic of Korea, Prime Minister Mori also talked by phone with ROK President Kim Dae Jung on April 6.

In addition, on April 6 Mr.Zeng Qinghong, head of the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China, and on April 10 Mr.John Prescott, deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom, paid courtesy calls on Prime Minister Mori at the Prime Minister's official residence. On April 11 Prime Minister Mori met with President Arpad Goncz of the Republic of Hungary, who was in Japan on a state visit, and on April 16 he met with President Abdurrahman Wahid of the Republic of Indonesia.