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[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received a courtesy call from participants in the 2016 Junior Summit in Mie, at the Prime Minister’s Office.

In his speech, the Prime Minister said,

“Good afternoon, everyone. I am Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan. I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you who have come to Japan from the G7 countries, and also welcome you to the Prime Minister’s Office.

There is only one month left until the Ise-Shima Summit. I believe that, at the Summit, response measures to address the current state of the global economy will be the major area of focus. At the same time, as participants will be coming to Ise-Shima in particular, I would like everyone to experience Japan’s rich traditions and culture, and also hold frank exchanges of views in that beautiful natural setting.

The discussions that take place in the G7 are much franker than people often imagine. Through such frank discussions, positive results are produced, and at the same time, progress is made in mutually understanding the views of the leaders of each member country. In this way, it is a precious venue for mutually grasping how we each think about and view global conditions, how we will tackle various global issues, how we view them, and so on. At the coming Summit, based on such discussions, I would like to transmit a clear message in regard to how we will address global economic issues, as I mentioned earlier, so that we will contribute to the sustainable and powerful growth of the global economy. In addition, I would also like to have discussions on various other global issues, including diplomacy and security concerns such as the stance of North Korea and terrorism, and issues related to climate change and development.

Furthermore, I would also like to have truly frank discussions with the G7 leaders regarding areas where Japan has taken a lead, such as creating a society where all women shine and high-quality infrastructure and healthcare, as well as the situation in the Asia-Pacific region since the Summit is being held in Asia for the first time in eight years, and give a clear message to international society and express leadership.

I have been told that there were active discussions at the Junior Summit on economic growth, climate change, the fostering of human resources, and gender. All of these are important issues. I am convinced that, if all of you, as leaders of the next generation, address these issues with your overflowing creativity, the future of the world will surely be a bright one. The Junior Summit is an event that was conceived with the hope that young people like you can have passionate debates, cultivate friendships, and weave the future of international society. I would like to express my heartfelt respect to all those involved who provided support for the Junior Summit, especially students from the Senior High School at Otsuka, University of Tsukuba, who showed the participants around Tokyo, Mr. Eikei Suzuki, Governor of Mie Prefecture and Mr. Narutaka Ito, Mayor of Kuwana City, who was introduced earlier.

I have been told that all of you have not only held discussions on issues faced by international society, but have also enjoyed Japan’s culture and traditions such as by taking part in the Ishidori Festival in Kuwana City in Mie Prefecture, where you have been staying, and beating Japanese drums while wearing traditional happi coats.

I believe you all met my wife earlier. My wife said to me that she feels that at the G7, where world leaders gather, each of them are in the position of having to represent their own country’s interests, whereas at the Junior Summit, the participants truly think only of the benefit of the entire world, and so are able to truly have more positive and purer discussions. While I don’t necessarily agree with what she said, still it is a valuable opinion. Seeing all of your faces today, I can see there are sure to have been truly great results from the G7 Junior Summit. I feel that we G7 leaders must also fully take in these results.

I would like all of you who have participated in this Junior Summit to fully utilize the discussions you had on your return to each of your G7 countries, and to exert your best efforts to achieve resolution of the various issues. I would now like to conclude my remarks by expressing my high expectations for your future activities. Thank you very much.”