I wish all of you a happy new year.
Last year marked the 150 th Anniversary of the conclusion of the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Peace and Amity. It was a year when both countries undertook a series of commemorative events that further deepened mutual understanding and successfully strengthened cooperation across a broad range of endeavors.
This new year, 2005, marks the 60 th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Sixty years ago, as a defeated nation, Japan faced a crisis of its very survival as a country. But after the war, thanks to the support of the United States and the international community, Japan restored democracy and miraculously sparked economic recovery. Now, Japan is a member of the community of advanced industrial nations and it plays a leading role in the world economy. Further, in the political and security arenas, Japan is increasingly taking on more and more responsibility, as illustrated by its support for reconstruction of Iraq , and it strongly hopes to make future contributions to peace and stability throughout the world.
In this process, we understand how very important it is for both Japan and the United States , two countries that share the values such as freedom and democracy, to continue to build upon this vital partnership in equal measure toward dealing with terrorism and the new problems that are challenging the international community.
In 2004, both countries experienced economic recovery and achieved an even higher level of development. During that year the two countries strengthened the foundation for the development of their economic relations by putting the New Japan-U.S. Tax Convention into effect and by signing the Agreement on Social Security. During this year as well, this Embassy stands ready to further advance the momentum in promoting prosperity and deepening cooperation in our bilateral economic relations.
In addition to this political and economic cooperation, both countries are broadening the scope of their relationship. The Japanese people living in the United States play a significant role in building upon the foundation of Japan-U.S. relations through their contributions to economic recovery and to strengthening our people-to-people relationship. The remarkable performance of Japanese pro baseball players in 2004, such as Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners setting a new record and Hideki Matsui of the New York Yankees playing in the post-season games, exemplified this significance. In addition, the image of "Cool Japan" grew impressively across generations in the United States through conspicuous achievements in areas such as animation and electronic games.
President Bush will begin his second term this year. Under these fresh circumstances, both Japan and the United States surely recognize that their continued partnership is indispensable, and that they must further strengthen their cooperation across a broad range of fields.
In conclusion, it is my heartfelt hope that this year may be filled with hope and that it will be a year in which all of you move forward.
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