On the afternoon of June 2, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) "Symposium on Human Security" in Yokohama.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

"H.E. Mr. Hailemariam, Chairperson of the African Union, H.E. Mrs. Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for having the presence of every one of you who have been dedicating yourselves for promoting human security.
Cherishing every individual and emphasizing human development are wonderful traditions of Japan. Mr. Shouin Yoshida, a great thinker in the end of Edo period whom I greatly admire, said: 'Mountains thrive with their greens; So do countries with their people.' Each person is indeed indispensable for supporting and building their state. I had a valuable opportunity to renew my focus on Africa as I hosted TICAD V. Africa, as the land of hope, has a vast potential. I am convinced human security sheds a precious ray of light onto such African future.
We need to extend our support to and protect the vulnerable. We need to educate and empower every person. Human security, by focusing on individuals, enables us to tackle various and intertwining challenges in a holistic manner. Human security allows people, including women and the youth, to address issues by themselves and proactively participate in their societies.
These consequences of human security have many things in common with what I aim at through Japan's Growth Strategy. I am pursuing a Growth Strategy for whose realization everyone participates so that Japanese women can shine and young people can maximize their potentials. I, with such a vision, want to also realize human security in Africa together with my African friends and our partners including international organizations and NGOs.
The theme of TICAD V is 'Hand in Hand with a More Dynamic Africa.' Let us join our hands in promoting human security and thereby realizing the development of the entire continent of Africa.
Today, this symposium aims at discussing the usefulness of human security by focusing on the issue of health.
I have just recently established 'Japan's Strategy on Global Health Diplomacy' and decided to place global health as a priority in my diplomatic policies.
Japan will make further efforts towards the achievement of health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Japan will further strive to promote universal health coverage, in order to allow everyone an access to basic healthcare service so that their diverse health needs will be met. I myself could assume the position of Prime Minister once again, having recovered from a serious illness. I am determined to listen to the voices of people across the world who wish for a better health.　
I would like to conclude my remarks by wishing for fruitful discussions today which will in turn shine on the bright future of people in Africa and beyond. Thank you very much."