Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted a party accompanying the meeting of the Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Force senior personnel at the Prime Minister's Office.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

"I believe that my first duty as the Prime Minister is to protect the safety and property of the public; our land, sea, and air territory; and the pride of Japan.
In that sense, I would like to once again express my appreciation to the 250,000 Self-Defense Force personnel who are fulfilling that responsibility on the ground.
I would like everyone to undertake their duties with pride.
It was because of this desire that I promoted the Defense Agency to a ministry during the first Abe administration.
We must not let our country become inferior in comparison to other countries. This is what I believe.
Many Self-Defense Force personnel carry out their duties diligently and silently under harsh conditions.
Their families do their best to understand those duties, even though those duties sometimes separate them from the ones they love, and watch over the household.
I would like to again express my gratitude to the families of Self-Defense Force personnel.
Today, here in Ichigaya, I received a salute from the guard of honor.
I have visited 21 countries and seen the guards of honor there since assuming the role of Prime Minister, and when Fran?ois Hollande, President of the French Republic, visited Japan some time ago, my wife also observed the valiant manner of the guard of honor. I felt that Japan's guard of honor is truly the best in the world.
My wife as well has said that seeing the guard of honor fills her with emotion.
I believe that perfect order and behavior is the gift of the daily training of the Self-Defense Forces, and demonstrates just how advanced that training is.
I want to again express my pride as Commander in Chief.
The security environment of Japan is a very harsh one. I would like to request that everyone firmly take pride in the fact that you are the ones protecting the people of Japan, and I would like you to keep protecting the lives of the people into the future as well."