Guest Speech by Makiko Tanaka, Foreign Minister of Japan for the Opening of "ASEAN-Japan Junior Summit"
(Arts Building, National Olympics Memorial Youth Center, Yoyogi, Tokyo)
October 7, 2001
Japanese
Good afternoon, boys and girls.
Congratulations on this opening of "ASEAN-Japan Junior Summit". I feel very privileged to be invited as a guest. In addition to the financial contributions of being at the small level by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is other reasons for my purpose of being here today. Those reasons are related to, firstly, my belonging to more or less the same generation as your mothers. Secondly, I personally studied abroad when I was a high school student at about your age. Thirdly, our second daughter actually went overseas for one year under an AFS Program. Those are the reasons why I have been indeed very much looking forward to this opportunity that they have me invited by you.
I am sure you all know that there are some 191 countries in the world, with a population of 6.1 billion. Each country of the world has its own religion and cultural traditions and background. Over the years, I have constantly been on the view that those diverse cultures of the world is a common asset of the entire humankind, and this philosophy has not changed even since I have assumed the position of Foreign Minister of Japan.
This symposium is actually being held as a part of "Japan-ASEAN Exchange Program for High School Students"; a program proposed by Japanese government on the occasion of "Japan-ASEAN Summit Meeting" that was held in Singapore in November of last year. It is quite true that ASEAN is currently faced with internal economic disparity and various problems arising from different political regimes of its member countries. However, I sincerely hope that transcending or overcoming those problems, younger people of the region can gain mutual understanding as well as strengthen their sense of unity and solidarity.
I sincerely hope that this symposium give us all good opportunities of listening to significant presentations and discussions as well as strengthening strong ties of friendship, not only between high school students participating here today but also between the higher generations and amongst the nations of Japan and ASEAN.
Thank you very much for your invitation today. I hope you have a fruitful symposium.
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