Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� March, 2002

Prime Minister Delivers Address at National Defense Academy Graduation Ceremony Sunday, March 24, 2002 Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi delivered an address at the graduation ceremony of the National Defense Academy of Japan, located in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. In his address, Prime Minister Koizumi stated, "Japan has consistently pursued a two-pillar defense policy of possessing an appropriate level of defense capability and firmly maintained the Japan-US Security Arrangements. In order to ensure the security and prosperity of our nation, international cooperation is also essential in addition to these two pillars." The Prime Minister further stressed his firm stance against terrorism, stating, "The fight against terrorism is regarded as Japan's own security issue in order to ensure the security of our people. Japan must continue to engage itself in the fight against terrorism with its own initiative, based on the Constitution of Japan." Furthermore, the Prime Minister expressed Japan's intent to proactively cooperate for efforts centering on the United Nations toward international peace. Moreover, Prime Minister Koizumi outlined for the future Self-Defense Force officers the state of mind that he expects them to maintain, stating, "paying careful attention to the expectations of the people for the Self-Defense Forces, I would like you to keep in mind a spirit of a "SDF allied with the people," and further stated, "You must be vigilant in making efforts to ensure that the people understand that the Self-Defense Forces are a presence that is always allied with the people."