Harvard University, Loeb House, November 23, 2022
Excellencies, I am Hamada Yasukazu, Defense Minister of Japan.
I am afraid I am not able to attend this conference in person due to a scheduling conflict.
I am very delighted to know that Boston Global Forum established the Shinzo Abe Initiative for Peace and Security to honor his legacy.
The international community now faces severe security environment such as North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, China’s unilateral change of the status quo and its attempts to do so by force, and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. More than ever, it is important to promote a Free and Open Indo-Pacific which Prime Minister Abe poured his heart into, and be united among the countries which share the fundamental values.
I sincerely hope that at this conference which gathers distinguished guests from Japan and the United States, you all will have lively discussion conducive to the promotion of FOIP, solidarity of democracies, and global peace and security.
Hamada Yasukazu