[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the Arab Week Reception held in Tokyo by the Arab Ambassadors’ Council (AAC) in Japan.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

“The friendship between Japan and Arab countries has been fostered through the exchanges of many people in a variety of fields, including politics, the economy, and culture. As one platform for exchange, the annual Arab Week creates many fans of Arab countries through its symposiums and bazaars. I want to take this opportunity to once again express my admiration for the many people who worked so hard to open this event, including those from the AAC, parliamentarians’ leagues, and private corporations.

Thus far, I have visited the Middle East five times. This year, I visited Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. In Egypt, I gave a speech in which I stated, “I want to further deepen cooperative relations between Japan and the Middle East under the concept of ‘Khair Al-Umuri Ausatoha’ or, ‘the best way is in the middle.’”

The Arab countries all expressed heartfelt condolences and strong solidarity with Japan in response to the acts of terrorism against Japanese nationals in Syria and the terrorist attack in Tunisia. I would like to take this opportunity to again express my gratitude for that. Japan will continue to actively contribute to the stability of the Middle East. We will collaborate closely with Arab countries on the variety of issues that they are facing, including the issue of peace in the Middle East and the fight against acts of terrorism.

I understand that this year, Arab Week will feature an art exhibition, a symposium, a film festival, and a charity bazaar. Even today, the venue is overflowing with the great numbers of people in attendance. I think that shows the extent that Arab Week has taken root. I would like to conclude my greetings by expressing the hope that many people will participate in the Arab Week events, and that the friendly relations between Japan and Arab countries will continue to see further development.”