[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted a luncheon for Japanese-speaking ambassadors to Japan, at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Prime Minister said in his opening address,

“Good afternoon, Your Excellencies.

I am pleased to host today’s luncheon meeting for Japanese-speaking ambassadors to Japan who reside in Tokyo.

The Abe administration emphasizes the strengthening of ‘soft power.’ We would like many people to come to know Japan as it truly is. As such, we want to further promote Japan’s appeal. As a result of these efforts, over the past three years, the number of tourists visiting Japan from overseas each year has now increased from 8 million to reach almost 20 million.

At the same time, the presence of people from overseas, like Your Excellencies, who understand and speak Japanese, is a great strength for Japan. I hope you will help depict Japan as it truly is. In particular, I have high expectations that, when this role is played by ambassadors, it is a truly powerful force in furthering the understanding of Japan in each of your respective countries.

I did not know that there are so many ambassadors who speak Japanese. I imagine that learning to speak and write Japanese must be quite difficult, and moreover the Japanese language is not commonly spoken outside of Japan. I am sure that you have all worked very hard to study the language, and that it must not have been easy to maintain the motivation to continue with your Japanese studies. Knowing this, we are very grateful for the presence of ambassadors such as Your Excellencies who have mastered the Japanese language and are currently stationed in Japan and working here.

Through this luncheon meeting today, I would like to further deepen my connections with you all, and also deepen our mutual understanding. I am sure that doing so will result in strengthening Japan’s relationship with each of your respective countries.

In closing, I would like to thank you all once again for taking time out of your busy schedules to join us here today.”