[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received a courtesy call from students of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University at the Prime Minister's Office.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

“I am pleased to welcome students of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where distinguished students from all over the world gather, to the Prime Minister's Office.

I heard that you will be visiting Fukushima. Six years have now passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear power accident. I am making efforts for the reconstruction of Fukushima and recovery from the nuclear disaster.

The reconstruction of the areas affected by the disaster is advancing steadily, and Japan has regained the economic strength to enable it to carry out such reconstruction. Over the last four years, Japan’s nominal GDP has grown 9.5% and the unemployment rate is 3.1%.

We believe that social disparities are a major issue amidst the various changes occurring in the United States and Europe. In Japan, we conduct our policies while paying attention to trends in such disparities. 

In response to a question that was posed, Japan, along with the United States, showed leadership toward achieving agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is very unfortunate that the U.S. is withdrawing from the TPP, but at the recent Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting, both sides came to the same recognition regarding the importance of creating a free and fair economic sphere.

In regard to future economic relations between Japan and the United States, although President Trump did not mention a Japan-United States free trade agreement at our previous Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting, in regard to what is necessary so that Japan and the United States can create a win-win economic relationship, it has been agreed to launch a framework for a new economic dialogue led by Vice President Pence and Deputy Prime Minister Aso. Since Vice President Pence plans to visit Japan as soon as next month, we would like to kick off the framework for the economic dialogue.

At the same time, Japan would like to be the standard-bearer for free trade, and within the 11 participating countries for the TPP including Japan, we would like to continue to act as the centripetal force with the ideals that we have been seeking.”