New Year's Message
New Year's Message
Ichiro Fujisaki,
to the United States of America
With the hope that this year will be one that fulfills your hopes and desires, I wish all of you a happy New Year.
Time has flown by in the six months since I assumed the ambassadorship. As the Ambassador of Japan to the United States, I believe that it is an important part of my duties to meet as many people, and visit as many American cities as I can to further improve the communications between Japan and the United States. Fortunately, I have been able to have such opportunities in a large number of places throughout the United States, and I will do my utmost to continue.
Last year was one in which the United States faced two great turning points, the presidential election and the financial crisis. Certainly, the election of President-elect Obama as the President of the next United States was a historical event that gave people around the world hope. Japan also welcomes the new administration of President-elect Obama. Japan's foreign policies have much in common with those of the President-elect, and we look forward to cooperating with an administration that fully understands the importance of our country.
On the other hand, the world economy faces a financial crisis unlike any it has ever seen before. I believe we must put constant emphasis on the following three points if we are to pull ourselves out of this crisis.
(1) To prioritize the restoration of confidence in the market
(2) To resist the temptation to be ahead of stream and concentrate on measures appropriate to the current situation
(3) To coordinate policies by the international community
I think that the United States and Japan, as the first and second-largest economies in the world, have a special responsibility to deal with the financial crisis. Japan will need to continue its cooperation with the United States and act together.
In a world that is facing many difficult issues, fields in which Japan and the United States can cooperate are not only in the field of finance. Together, Japan and the United States are putting forth their best efforts to resolve various challenges the international community faces when addressing issues such as the international economy, terrorism, and the environment. Bilateral trust is essential to the Japan-U.S. cooperation, and I believe it is also important to recognize three factors that sustain this trust. The first is not to allow over-politicization. The second is to constantly remain in close contact so that no "surprises" come between us. And the third is not to take each other for granted.
The good relationship between Japan and the United States owes much to the cumulative activities and efforts of Japanese in the United States through a wide range of endeavors. I firmly believe that all Japanese living in this country play the role of a bridge in strengthening our bilateral relationship. In that sense, having more than a million fellow "Japanese Ambassadors" standing by my side gives me great confidence. That is why all of us at the Embassy are working hard to be open, useful, and a source of help when in need to all of you. For my own part, I want to try even harder.
Your activities are the foundation for the deepening of the Japan-U.S. relationship and advancing our mutual understanding. I pray that in this new year, you will push this mutual understanding to even greater heights.
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