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[Provisional translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a meeting with H.R.H. Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the Prime Minister’s Office.

First, Prime Minister Abe and Prince Mohammed received a salute and attended a ceremony by the guard of honor. The Prime Minister and Prince Mohammed then held a meeting, followed by an exchange of signed documents.

Finally, Prime Minister Abe hosted a dinner banquet at the Prime Minister's Official Residence and delivered an address,

“Ahlan wa Sahlan (welcome).

I wish to offer a heartfelt welcome to Japan to H.R.H. Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who represents the new generation. I hope to further develop bilateral relations between our two countries on the occasion of Prince Mohammed’s visit. I believe this represents a favorable opportunity to deepen our bilateral relations in a broad range of fields.

One such field is sports. I hear that karate is very popular in Saudi Arabia. In fact, I hear that Prince Mohammed is also a karate expert. Karate will become an official event at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. Last autumn, a group of martial arts practitioners visited Saudi Arabia. This group was led by Mr. Masahiko Komura, Vice-President of the Liberal Democratic Party, and I hear that the group was well received. I very much hope to further sports cooperation between our two countries.

I also hear that Prince Mohammed has in-depth knowledge about Japanese culture, such as washoku or Japanese cuisine. This evening, we have invited an up-and-coming female Japanese chef. I hope to pursue greater exchange and cooperation in this field as well, together with Prince Mohammed.

This evening, we are also joined by a select number of leaders representing various fields who will play a leading role in further expanding and deepening bilateral relations between our two countries. I hope that you will look over the list of leaders placed before you.

Did everyone enjoy the wadaiko drum performance earlier by Mr. Kato? This evening we have prepared a stirring performance of wadaiko drums and a luxurious menu of washoku. Let us savor these Japanese cultural experiences to our hearts’ content and discuss the future of Japan and Saudi Arabia.

Shukran Jazilan (Thank you very much).”