[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[January 30, 1992]
[Pages 174-175]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks During Discussions With Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa of Japan 
in New York City

January 30, 1992
    The President. This gives me a chance, with our friends from the 
press here, to tell you how much I appreciated your hospitality.
    The Prime Minister. Let me tell, Mr. President, to all the audience 
that we will deliver all we promised to you.
    The President. I never doubted----
    The Prime Minister. I make it very, very clear to the audience.
    The President. I never doubted it.
    The Prime Minister. There will be no misunderstanding about it.
    The President. Let me make clear that that was never a doubt in my 
mind. And secondly, I'm very grateful for the many manifestations of 
friendship and hospitality. And you, yourself, just went out of your way 
on a very personal basis to be considerate to me.
    The Prime Minister. Oh, yes.
    The President. So, it's most appropriate that we see you when you 
first get off this airplane. But I don't want to take too much time.
    The Prime Minister. This is very kind of you, very kind.
    The President. They'll be leaving us very soon now--[laughter]--and 
we can talk.

[At this point, another group of journalists entered the room.]

    The President. I might say, with the Japanese journalists here, that 
I had a chance to tell the Prime Minister when he arrived here how 
grateful the United States is for the progress that we made on this 
visit and how grateful I am personally to this Prime Minister and to 
everybody in Japan for their hospitality. The concern when I had that 
very, very brief illness, but the concern from the people there and the 
members of your Government, Members of the Diet, I will never forget it. 
It was very, very thoughtful. And I want to take this opportunity to 
thank the people of Japan because, on the business side and the personal 
side, we could not have been treated with more dignity and more care and 
more friendship.
    The Prime Minister. I am very much honored to hear it from you, Mr. 
President. And the Japanese people were really de-

[[Page 175]]

lighted to have you and Mrs. Bush in Tokyo. And unfortunately, just a 
slight illness, but that perhaps brought you and Mrs. Bush closer to the 
Japanese mind, naturally.
    This reminded me, when President Ford came to Japan and he was 
inspecting the parade, his pants were all too short. [Laughter] And it 
was on the TV, and that really made him very familiar to Japanese TV 
watchers.
    The President. I remember that. And please tell His Majesty how much 
we appreciate the hospitality for me.
    The Prime Minister. I will, sir.
    The President. But here you are, and thank you for what you said 
here. This got all out of proportion, and I think we're in good shape. 
And I mean it.

                    Note: The President spoke at 6:50 p.m. at the 
                        Waldorf Astoria Hotel.