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On the second day of his visit to Brazil, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Ibirapuera Park in Sao Paulo on the morning of September 15 (Japan time: night of September 15), where he offered flowers at the "Garden of Remembrance for the Pioneers" which was built to commemorate the hardships faced by the pioneering Japanese immigrants. While in the Park, Prime Minister Koizumi visited the Japanese Pavilion and was welcomed by third-generation children of Japanese descent. Later, Prime Minister Koizumi gave a speech before an audience of approximately 1,200 people of Japanese descent at the Brazilian Society of Japanese Culture. In his speech, with tears in his eyes, Prime Minister Koizumi said to the audience how he had found the words "Welcome Prime Minister Koizumi" on the previous day, while viewing farmland from a helicopter and had landed there. He said, "The people greeted me with tears in their eyes. I was impressed. Given the different language and climate, I can only imagine the hardships you have endured." Prime Minister Koizumi attended a luncheon meeting hosted by the Governor of the State of Sao Paulo. At the luncheon, he delivered a speech entitled, "Address by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the Latin American and Caribbean Policies - Toward a New Japan-Latin America and Caribbean Partnership." In the address, Prime Minister Koizumi proposed "A Vision for a New Japan - Latin America and Caribbean Partnership" (the Koizumi Vision) with the principle of reactivating the economic relationship. Prime Minister Koizumi also called for enhanced cooperation in tackling a variety of issues in the international community, including reform of the United Nations and the Security Council. With regard to exchange of people, he announced Japan's intention to invite over the course of five years roughly 4,000 young people in total, including exchange students, from Latin American countries. In the evening (Japan time: early morning of 16 September), Prime Minister Koizumi left Sao Paulo and headed to the capital of Brazil, Brasilia.

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Link:

Address by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the Latin American and Caribbean Policies - Toward a New Japan - Latin America and Caribbean Partnership -