2006年天皇誕生日祝賀レセプションでの挨拶 2006年12月13日在ヒューストン日本国総領事 加茂佳彦
Distinguished guests, dear friends, ladies and gentlemen:
I am happy to welcome you to this reception which cerebrates the 73rd birthday of Japan’s Emperor Akihito. His Majesty the Emperor was born on December 23rd, 1933. He became the Emperor of Japan in 1989 and is currently in the 18th year of his reign. The Imperial Family is a uniquely Japanese institution that has been in existence for the past 2000 years. The history and culture of the Japanese nation is built on this very foundation. For many Japanese, revering the Emperor comes as natural as breathing air.
Ladies and gentlemen:
It is really encouraging to observe that the relationship between Japan and the United States has deepened over recent years. This has happened in Texas and Oklahoma, my states of jurisdiction in the U.S. Some of you may know that I have two American colleagues who are acting as honorary consuls general of Japan in Dallas and Oklahoma City. These two fine gentlemen are doing a fabulous job to represent Japan in their own communities. John Stich of Dallas and Lloyd Hardin, Jr. of Oklahoma City are here with us this evening and they will say a few words later. The three of us are on a team- TEAM JAPAN of Texas and Oklahoma, if I may borrow the term from Toyota which has just opened their new truck factory in San Antonio under the banner of TEAM TOYOTA. We are determined to do our utmost to promote the friendly relationship between Japan and the United States in Texas and Oklahoma through our team effort.
I think some of you attended the Japan- America Society of Houston’s Gala the other day and enjoyed a speech by Tom Schieffer, the American Ambassador to Japan. In his remarks, Ambassador Schieffer spoke highly of Junichiro Koizumi, the former Prime Minister of Japan for his instrumental role in strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance. The Ambassador also expressed his hope that the promising new developments with respect to the Japan-U.S. relationship should be further consolidated by the current government led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The Japanese Ambassador to the United States, Ryozo Kato, for his part, gave a lecture in Dallas last month and underlined the importance of the U.S.-Japan collaboration based upon the common values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law and common interests that we share. The two Ambassadors echoed that Japan and the United States make excellent partners in making the world a better place. Without U.S. engagement, for instance, North Asia would be left unsecured. And it is the U.S.-Japan alliance that serves as an anchor to maintain peace and stability in the region.
It is said that Japan has become more assertive in recent years. Japan’s Foreign Minister, Taro Aso, is known for his eloquent speeches, as well as the fact that he is from one of Japan’s most distinguished families in terms of politics and business. In his address in WashingtonD.C., in May 2006, he brilliantly described Japan’s role in East Asia from a historical perspective by stating that since the end of WWII, Japan has played the role of “thought leader” in the region. Now just two weeks ago, he delivered the latest speech on Japan’s diplomacy in Tokyo. Copies of the speech are available at a desk at the entrance. So please take one when you leave and enjoy it!
Last but not least, I would like to introduce our guest of honor tonight. It is our honor and privilege to announce that Harris County Judge Robert Eckles is joining us this evening despite his very busy schedule. Judge Eckles went to Japan last summer as a member of the Texas delegation to participate in Aichi Expo 2005 along with First Lady of Texas, Anita Perry. One month after he returned to Houston, Katrina hit the GulfCoast and he found himself on nation-wide TV news shows from the Astrodome. We didn’t have any severe hurricanes this year and Judge Eckles didn’t visit Japan. Do you think he should refrain from visiting Japan so that HarrisCounty can elude hurricanes? I don’t think so. Next time you go there, Judge, please try to ride our Shinkansen-bullet train and give serious thought to importing the Shinkansen railway system to Texas, in order to link Houston and Dallas by high speed trains. You need the high speed rail for a better evacuation plan.
Well, this concludes my remarks. Did I give too many remarks? I hope not.
Thank you for coming and have a pleasant evening.