Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda received a courtesy call at the Prime Minister's Office from the Japanese National Team for WorldSkills International.

WorldSkills International (WorldSkills Competition) is held to promote vocational training among participating countries and regions and to encourage international exchange and friendship among young technicians. The 41st Competition will be held in London this year.

The Prime Minister gave words of encouragement to the Japanese National Team, saying, "I understand that the Japanese National Team members gathered here today are those who support Japan as a manufacturing nation.
I am looking forward to seeing you to fully demonstrate your skills, which you have been nurturing laboriously over many years despite your young age, firmly showing to the competitors around the world Japan's technological prowess born of on-site experience, which I believe is indeed the latent potential of Japan.
Meanwhile, 51 other countries and regions are sending their teams, whose members must be of your generation. They are your peers in the sense that they all share an aspiration to support their nation and the economy with the power of youth. I would also like you to forge friendships with these people."