Home > News > The Prime Minister in Action > October 2016 > The Prime Minister Attends the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo International Film Festival
The Prime Minister in Action
The Prime Minister Attends the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo International Film Festival
October 25, 2016
Photograph of the Prime Minister delivering an address on the red carpet
Photograph of the Prime Minister delivering an address on the red carpet (1)(©2016 TIFF)
Photograph of the Prime Minister delivering an address on the red carpet (2)(©2016 TIFF)
Photograph of the Prime Minister delivering an address on the red carpet (3)(©2016 TIFF)
Photograph of the Prime Minister delivering an address at the opening ceremony (1)(©2016 TIFF)
Photograph of the Prime Minister delivering an address at the opening ceremony (2)(©2016 TIFF)
[Provisional Translation]
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the opening ceremony of the 29th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), held in Tokyo.
The Prime Minister said in his address,
“Good evening. My name is Shinzo Abe.
The Tokyo International Film Festival is now underway. I first attended this Festival 10 years ago. Although I was unable to attend for five years, this year marks the fourth straight year that I have been able to be here.
The Tokyo International Film Festival has come to attract great attention as a leading film festival in Asia. It drives home to me once again the importance of perseverance. The attention of creators from Asia and around the world is being focused on the Festival. The Abe administration has established measures to make Japan a gateway for Asia and the entire world. Young people from all over Asia come to Tokyo to present their work to the world, and people from around the world come to Tokyo to learn about Asia. I am very pleased that the Festival has developed into such an institution.
I understand that the popular Shin Godzilla (also known as Godzilla Resurgence in some countries) will be screened here. My wife has been strongly encouraging me to watch it, saying that ‘the movie is pretty realistic.’ However, apparently the prime minister is killed in the first half of the movie, together with the chief cabinet secretary. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hagiuda has been ardently urging me to see the movie while opining that “it is very informative,” and I heard that the deputy chief cabinet secretary has an active part in the story. So I definitely want to see the movie.
I believe that we are entering into an era in which Japanese movies are highly esteemed throughout the world. Films are culture, and are very useful for learning about the countries that produce them. We will focus efforts on films and support them as a major source of Japanese soft power. I hope that you will all enjoy yourselves at the Tokyo International Film Festival, and find ways to broadcast the appeal of films.
Thank you very much, and congratulations on this opening day.”
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