Remarks by Mr. Shintaro Ito,
Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
At the Welcoming Dinner for
the Japanese American Leadership Delegation
16 March 2006
Distinguished members of the Japanese American Leadership Delegation,
Let me welcome you to Japan, the land of your ancestors. It is wonderful to have you all here today.
I am Shintaro Ito, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs responsible for North American Affairs. I am a Member of the House of Representatives from Miyagi prefecture. If there is anyone with an ancestor from my prefecture, we might be distantly related.
I understand that you visited Kyoto and Nagoya before coming to Tokyo. In Kyoto, I am sure you were able to experience the history and culture of Japan. In Nagoya, in addition to the symposium hosted by the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership, I gather that you visited the Toyota plant and its Toyota Kaikan. This must have been an excellent chance to see first hand one of the most advanced industrial facilities in the world. Your visits to Kyoto and Nagoya offered you a glimpse of the two sides of modern Japan --- a Japan that maintains and respects its traditions and a Japan that leads the world in cutting edge technologies. This is the essence of Japan today, an advanced society that protects and celebrates its culture and history.
Your visit to Kyoto, Japan's imperial capital for 1,000 years, might have given you an opportunity to rediscover Japan's roots, and hence, your own roots. Your ancestors emigrated to the United States in search of new opportunities in a new world. These first generation Japanese Americans were true pioneers. To be sure, there were hard times. The unfortunate period of war between our two countries must have imposed especially severe hardships on your ancestors, and perhaps even some of you here today.
Fortunately Japan and the United States have put our past differences aside to build an extraordinarily strong future-oriented relationship. Not only do our two countries share the fundamental values of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights, and a market economy, but we are also working together to expand peace and prosperity to other parts of the world.
The fact that all of you here today have excelled in so many different fields in American society makes us Japanese extremely proud.
I firmly believe that each of you can serve as a bridge between the US and Japan. You are all leading members of American society, yet share common roots in Japan. As such, you all can play a significant part in the betterment of Japan-US relations. I hope your trip to Japan will help you fulfill this bridging role. I shall do my best to promote our continued friendship.
Finally, I would like to propose a toast: to our lasting friendship and to the continued success of all of you here today.
[Cheers!]