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On May 30, 2019, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the General Assembly of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) held in Tokyo.
 
In his address, the Prime Minister said,
 
“Good afternoon to CISAC President Mr. Jean-Michel Jarre and to everyone attending the CISAC 2019 General Assembly. I am Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. I heartily welcome the CISAC General Assembly convening here in Japan for the first time in 35 years, at quite a grand scale.
 
As the world’s largest network of copyright societies, CISAC plays a major role in advancing international copyright protection and eliminating various issues, and I deeply respect the day-to-day efforts you are making. I also appreciate that you have been cooperating towards the practical resolution of issues regarding wartime prolongation, a matter of concern for Japan.
 
The waves of digitalization are also now sweeping towards the world of music and other creative works. Through digital networks, people all around the world, regardless of national boundaries, have become able to enjoy creative works easily. At the same time, we hear that in this age of digitalization, people including the young are revisiting the benefits of analog records and are starting to enjoy them once again.
 
Although the world transitions along with the times, our culture has developed into something even richer as we accept those changes of the times. Within that context, creators are called on always to anticipate changes in the tides of new ages and to expand increasingly creative and diverse activities. We will continue to have great expectations for the role of CISAC, a base supporting the inventive activities of creators around the world.
 
In Japan, the new era “Reiwa” began this month. This new era name was taken from the Manyoshu, Japan’s oldest anthology of poems. The poems people composed as long as 1,200 years ago will become a force for carving out the new era to come. Culture transcends eras to be something passed on that develops over time.
 
This CISAC General Assembly is being held in Japan for the first time since we welcomed the new era. I will end my remarks with my high hopes that this Assembly becomes a trigger for demonstrating and further heightening that kind of force of culture, along with my sincere wishes that all of you attending enjoy increasing success in your activities going forward.”