On July 1, 2006 (June 6, 2006 in the lunar calendar), former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto died of illness in Tokyo. This is a file photo of Ryutaro Hashimoto's speech on September 22, 2002 when he attended a friendly exchange conference commemorating the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in Beijing. On June 4, 2006, Hashimoto was admitted to the National International Medical Center in Tokyo for treatment due to abdominal pain. He was diagnosed with intestinal ischemia. The hospital performed a large intestine resection for Hashimoto. Most of the large intestine and part of the small intestine were removed, but the condition has not improved. On June 30, Hashimoto's condition further deteriorated, and the hospital issued a critical illness notice to his family. On July 1, former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto died of illness in Tokyo. Hashimoto was born in a political family and graduated from Keio University, a famous Japanese institution of higher learning. In 1963, Hashimoto was elected to the House of Representatives of Japan, and in 1970 he became the Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare. Hashimoto has since served as Minister of Health and Welfare, Minister of Transport, Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party, Minister of International Trade and Industry, President of the Liberal Democratic Party, and Deputy Prime Minister. In January 1996, he became Prime Minister of Japan. In July 1998, the Liberal Democratic Party lost in the Senate election, and Hashimoto resigned as prime minister in order to take responsibility for the election failure. During his tenure as prime minister, Hashimoto implemented six major reforms, including administrative agencies, finance, and tax systems. In terms of foreign policy, Hashimoto advocates Japan-China friendship and has visited China many times. Comments: After resigning as prime minister, he served as president of the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade and has long been committed to promoting economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between Japan and China