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On October 31, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received a courtesy call from representatives participating in the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP) and others, at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
The Prime Minister said in his opening address,
 
“I would like to sincerely welcome all of you to Japan who have come as the representatives of the countries participating in the 45th SSEAYP.
 
Since I became Prime Minister, I have visited all ten of your countries. Even now, I remember and am grateful for the warm hospitality in all the places I visited. ASEAN celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, and I anticipate that ASEAN will continue to lead regional stability and prosperity as a partner with which Japan shares fundamental values.
 
On October 9, I welcomed the leaders of five countries to Tokyo: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. We held the Mekong-Japan Summit Meeting on that occasion, and agreed to deepen people-to-people exchanges in various fields.
 
It is people who will carve out the future, and this rests on the capabilities of young people in particular. SSEAYP is one of the cooperation programs that attaches importance to people. More than 12,000 young people have participated in this program so far. Building on this experience, they are currently fulfilling active roles in their respective fields.
 
During the Program, you will likely make many new friends from countries with different histories, cultures, and values through homestays in the countries you visit, as well as through the time you share living on the ship. I hope that you will foster close bonds by having extensive conversations with one another, learning about the wonderful qualities of each other’s countries, and affirming your pride in the country where you were born and raised.
 
I hope that you will cherish the friendships you cultivate on this ship and continue to take advantage of this network in the future. I look forward to your great success.”