Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a ceremony at the Prime Minister's Office to honor contributors to the promotion of barrier free universal design.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

"I would like to offer my congratulations to the recipients of the prizes for their contributions to the promotion of barrier free universal design.
You have undertaken initiatives founded on a series of innovative ideas, including assisting hearing impaired students listen to lectures through the use of a mobile remote information system. I would like to express my profound respect to everyone for their efforts.
The promotion of barrier free universal design requires not only government measures, but also the engagement of society as a whole. To this end, it is important that outstanding initiatives like yours are honored and are shared with a wide range of people. It is my hope that today's ceremony will give momentum to the further adoption of barrier free universal design all across society.
In closing, I would like to express to everyone my hope that you will continue to generate various ideas and I look forward to your continued active contributions."