[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted a cherry blossom viewing party at Shinjuku Gyoen in Tokyo. Many guests attended, including leading figures from the culture and art world, as well as the sports world.

Standing before the guests, the Prime Minister said in his address,

“Today marks the 61st cherry blossom viewing party, although it is the fifth party for me. In previous parties, some asked me if there would even be any cherry blossoms left, and suggested that it might turn out to be a party to view fallen petals. As for this year, I also worried that the party would come at a time in between the blossoming of the Somei-yoshino cherry trees and double-flowered cherry blossom trees, and that in fact this would end up as a tree viewing party. In the end, about a tenth of the Somei-yoshino cherry trees are still blooming and there are blossoms on about seventy percent of the double-flowered cherry blossom trees. I think that there have not been many parties up to this point in which it was possible to enjoy the blossoms of both types of trees. When I see how the Somei-yoshino cherry blossoms have endeavored to remain on their trees until today, it makes me want to work harder. At the same time, I also want to bring more effort to my work as if I were the double-layered cherry blossom trees that have bloomed only sixty percent. 

Actually, yesterday I was visited by En Juku from Indonesia, a group of Indonesian university and high school students who love Japan, and they gave a performance in Japanese. Their Japanese leader, Ms. Sugako Kaikiri, started the group in Indonesia. When they saw the damage-struck state of Japan after the terrible disaster that was the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, they created a song entitled, ‘Sakura Yo’ and gifted it to Japan with the intent of encouraging us.

This group came to the Prime Minister's Office yesterday and sang ‘Sakura Yo.’ In it, there is the lyric, ‘Bloom proudly, o cherry tree, bloom in the heart of Japan. Bloom proudly, o Japan, bloom in the heart of the world.’ I talked about this song during my first cherry blossom viewing party after the inauguration of my second Cabinet. This year is the fifth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The people affected by the disaster continue to resolutely apply themselves to the tasks at hand even with the worry that the memories of the earthquake are fading little by little. Yesterday, I listened once again to that song. It renewed my desire to rise to the expectations of our friends in Asia, and to show a Japan that has thoroughly recovered from that Great Earthquake, one that has recovered splendidly and become a place full of energy, to the world during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Today we have been truly joined by so many people. Fortunately, the weather looks like it will hold somehow as well. I hope to enjoy this day together with all of you. There is still half a session left for the current session of the Diet, and I hope we can brace ourselves and get through it. We have established a new budget. I think it is our job to ensure that the budget reaches all corners of Japan as quickly as possible. I want to work hard together with everyone here to create a Japan in which the cherry trees across the country bloom like they do here today – a Japan of flowers in full bloom.”

After his address, the Prime Minister toured the garden with guests, shaking hands with people, and joining in commemorative photographs.