[Provisional Translation]

I highly value the adoption at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) of the “Paris Agreement,” which is a new international framework in place of the Kyoto Protocol for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other climate actions. I express my profound gratitude to the French COP Presidency for the effort and dedication with which it convened COP21 without submitting to terrorism and led it to success.

Japan has consistently advocated that we must safely hand our sole planet down to the generations of our children and grandchildren and that every country must participate in the new framework to this end. Now we have reached a fair agreement applicable to all Parties, consisting of more than 190 countries, for the first time in history.

The world will make a new start to tackle the challenging problem of global warming. Japan must take steps to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in a planned manner, aiming at the goal of a 26% reduction. We will achieve the goal without sacrificing economic growth. Japan will promote the key to this theme, namely, the development of innovative technologies in the fields of the environment and energy. It will implement climate change-related assistance in developing countries as well by making use of its technology and experience. Negative impacts of climate change are also becoming visible within our boundaries. To prepare ourselves for future risks, the Government will take measures to minimize such climate effects. My Cabinet will take these actions as a task of its highest priority.

Climate change is an issue to be addressed over the long term. Japan holds the tradition of living in harmony with nature and is equipped with world-class technology with which it overcame the previous oil crises. I would like to refine these strengths of our nation by maintaining the originality and inventive work promoted by both the public and private sectors so that Japan can continue to play a leading role in the international community in addressing climate change.