[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a ceremony to commemorate the establishment of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development in Tokyo.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

“Congratulations everyone. A moment ago, together with Minister Amari, President Suematsu, and Special Advisor Izumi, we held the ceremony to unveil the signboard for the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development. We will create the world’s most advanced research and development organization in the medical field, right here in Japan. It was two years ago when we first came up with that idea, and now, here we are today.

In light of how administrative processes have been carried out in Japan up to this point, I believe that this represents groundbreaking swiftness. In particular, ministries and agencies have a very tight grip on their respective budgets. Moreover, these budgets consist of very large amounts of money. Tearing away that money and recompiling it is extremely difficult work. I would like to once again express my respect to all of you who have made such tremendous efforts to date to achieve this.

The medical field is intimately connected to people’s lives and livelihoods. People must have their health if they are to lead fulfilling and happy lives. It is everyone’s wish to lead a healthy life, no matter who they are. I believe that this Agency will play an extremely large role in somehow bringing people closer to fulfilling that wish. We confront a variety of challenging diseases over the course of our lives, including cancers, and dementia as well. I believe that it would be no exaggeration to say that the task of triumphing over these diseases rests on the shoulders of everyone here. Even a small delay in this Agency’s progress will send global innovation backward. I ask that you all work hard with that in mind.

I have high hopes that you will generate new innovations that allow people to lead fulfilling and happy lives.

This building has a tremendous view, a good field of vision. I believe that Japan’s medical field too has now developed a good field of vision. I would like to conclude my remarks by hoping for your continued success and the development of tremendous results. Let us do great things together.”