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On April 11, 2019, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe concurrently held the seventh meeting of the “Beauty of Japan” Comprehensive Project Advisory Panel and the fourth meeting of the Japonismes 2018 Comprehensive Promotion Council at the Prime Minister's Office. Afterwards, the Prime Minister attended a thank you reception for Japonismes 2018.
 
At the meeting, there was discussion on the achievements of Japonismes 2018 and other matters.
 
The Prime Minister said in his opening remarks,
 
“I appreciate your time to attend the ‘Beauty of Japan’ Comprehensive Project Advisory Panel and the Japonismes 2018 Comprehensive Promotion Council meetings today amidst your busy schedules.
 
The arts and culture of Japan are soft power we can be proud of on the global stage, and we want to promote the wonders of those Japanese arts and culture. The concept of a Japan Expo sprouted out from such passion and bore fruit as Japonismes 2018 last year, which marked the 150^th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration and 160 years of friendship between Japan and France.
 
During approximately eight months, from July 2018 to February 2019, over 3.5 million people, far greater than the population of Paris, experienced authentic Japanese culture, and Japonismes 2018 blossomed gloriously in Paris, the capital of culture, achieving a resounding success.
 
I express my deep gratitude for the contributions done by all the members of the panel in attendance today, and to the former chairman, the late Mr. Masahiko Tsugawa, who passed away last year.
 
Chairman Tsugawa repeatedly advocated that we should showcase the wonders of Japanese arts and culture to the world and make full use of them to promote diplomacy. We must not let the success of Japanismes 2018 end as an ephemeral one in France. It is the true value of Japan’s cultural diplomacy that carry on this success to the future.  
 
From Japonismes, I reaffirmed that the power of culture is indeed the power of the nation. I would like to ask this council to discuss intensely how we should strategically promote the beauty of Japan overseas and deploy our cultural diplomacy.
From March, we will launch Japan 2019 and Asia in Resonance 2019 in the United States and throughout Southeast Asian countries, respectively. I ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Foundation, working with the relevant ministries and private corporations, exert all-out efforts so as to make the flower of Japanese culture bloom proudly in the United States and Southeast Asian countries.
 
Furthermore, I ask the Agency for Cultural Affairs, working with the relevant ministries, to prepare for Japan Cultural Expo, to promote the Japanese aesthetic sense and values throughout Japan and the world, ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, obtaining support from relevant corporations and associations.
 
I would like to close my address by asking for the continued advice and cooperation of the members of the panel. Thank you very much.”