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On September 3, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted a party accompanying the Meeting of the Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Force (SDF) Senior Personnel, at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence.
 
The Prime Minister said in his address,
 
“I am pleased to have this opportunity to have a talk with all of you who represent the 250,000 SDF personnel today. I would like to once again express my respect to the members of the SDF personnel who are diligently fulfilling their duties under severe conditions, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, even at this very moment. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all of their family members.
 
I have one more good news today. At the Asian Games which were held in Jakarta, athletes from the SDF won three gold medals, three silver medals, and two bronze medals. I have high expectations that they will equally do well at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020.
 
Anyway, over the last year, I had opportunities to visit various sites that the SDF operated.
 
In Maizuru, I observed the Aegis-equipped destroyer Myoko, which carries out ballistic missile surveillance at the front lines. I also visited PAC-3 units in the Tokyo metropolitan area. I fully sensed that everyone was fulfilling their duties with pride and responsibility under pressure. I was astounded by the sight of advanced skills of the Special Operations Group, which I inspected for the first time as the Prime Minister. It is extremely regrettable that I must refrain from commenting what surprised me and what moved me any further due to the nature of the matter. As part of the inspection, I experienced turns of a helicopter making a low altitude flight by the 1st Helicopter Brigade. My Executive Secretary had apparently told them not to go easy on me, and it was truly a nail-biting experience. In addition, I visited the historic school building in Etajima that stands upright. I also boarded the state-of-the-art C-2 transport aircraft and experienced a landing by a C-2 on Haneda Airport for the first time in history.
 
In Yokosuka, I visited the Self Defense Fleet Command and Mine Warfare Force. In the submarine, which I inspected by crossing the water on a barge, I laid on a bed installed over a torpedo. It was a first-hand experience of extremely effective use of the openings in ways that made me cold, both physically and psychologically. I thought if one could sleep there, one could sleep anywhere.
 
In the wake of the heavy rain in July, on four occasions I visited the sites where the SDF was working. Commanding General Kishikawa of the Middle Army guided me each time, and every time I saw him his face was darker. At all of the sites, the commanders, who exercised command as their title indicates, and the rest of the many SDF personnel, who engaged in activities under the glaring sun with high morale and dedication, were all exerting maximum efforts to fulfill their duties.
 
I believe the most important responsibility of the Prime Minister is to protect the lives and peaceful livelihoods of the people of Japan. I would like to join forces with all of you, who support this most important responsibility, together as one.
 
While time is limited, I hope to deepen our friendships and further strengthen our solidarity today. With that, I would like to close my address. Thank you very much.”