[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received a courtesy call from the 56th group of junior reporters from Okinawa and the 34th group of junior reporters from Hakodate at the Prime Minister's Office.
The Prime Minister said in his address,

“Hello everyone. I am Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Welcome to the Prime Minister’s Office.

I listened to your wonderful singing voices as I entered the room today. A dance symbolic of the traditional culture of Okinawa was then performed on behalf of the junior reporters from Okinawa. It was a wonderful dance that exceeds what even some adults are capable of. After that, the junior reporters from Hakodate sang a song in beautiful harmony that communicated the charms of their city.

When I was a child, it was often said that Japan was a small country. However, we have many different climates, traditions, and cultures spread out between Hokkaido and Okinawa. Each place has its own history. Each place has its own differences. I believe that Japan is the product of all of those differences coming together as one.

Today, you have come to the Prime Minister’s Office here in Tokyo from Okinawa and Hakodate. Some people from abroad may think that if they come to Tokyo, they know what Japan is like. However, whenever leaders of other countries come to Japan, I often urge them to visit the regions.

There was once a time when G7 summits hosted by Japan would only be held in Tokyo. However, around the time that I was a Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, Prime Minister Obuchi decided that the next G7 summit, which was eventually hosted by Prime Minister Mori, would be the first ever to be held outside of Tokyo, specifically in Okinawa. When it came time for Japan to host a G7 summit again, I was Prime Minister, and I decided that we would host the meeting in Toyako in Hokkaido. Unfortunately, by the time that it was held, I was no longer Prime Minister. However, I was able to host the Ise-Shima Summit last year. Each of these places is home to the wonderful traditions and cultures of Japan. I believe that the leaders who experienced these locations returned to their home countries having been greatly inspired by them.

All of you will grow up, work hard to chase your dreams, and go out into the world. When you do so, people will ask you about your hometowns. When that happens, I hope that all of you will take pride in the towns where you were born and raised, and convey to these people just how wonderful each of your hometowns is. Furthermore, I hope that you will show the world what kind of country Japan is.

In that sense, I am very pleased that you performed songs and dances today that are rooted in the traditions of the regions where you were born and grew up.

I hope that all of you will make use of the experience that you have had today. I hope that those of you from Hokkaido will make use of the exchanges you have had with the junior reporters from Okinawa. I hope that the junior reporters from Okinawa will make use of the exchanges you have had with children your age from Hakodate. I hope that you will make use of all of these experiences as you work hard toward your futures.

I would like to end my remarks by wishing you all great success and bright futures. Thank you very much for coming to the Prime Minister’s Office today.”