    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [February 19, 2002]
    [Pages 249-252]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the Diet in Tokyo
    February 19, 2002

        Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Prime Ministers, distinguished members of the Diet,
    Ambassador and Mrs. Baker, Secretary Colin Powell
    and the American delegation, Japanese delegation, distinguished
    representatives of the great people of Japan: Laura and I are honored to
    be here. And thank you so very much for your invitation, and thank you
    very much for the generous reception. Thank you so very much for the

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    kind and generous reception that we have been shown by the Japanese
    people.
        We look forward to the great honor of meeting Their Imperial
    Majesties, the Emperor and Empress, later on today. And we bring to you the respect and
    good wishes of the American people.
        A century ago, our two countries were beginning to learn from and
    about one another after a long period of suspicion and mistrust. The
    great Japanese scholar and statesman Inazo Nitobe, a man who understood
    both our peoples, envisioned a future of friendship as he wrote, ``I
    want to become a bridge across the Pacific.'' That bridge has been
    built, not by one man but by millions of Americans and Japanese.
        My trip to Asia begins here in Japan for an important reason. It
    begins here because for a century and a half now, America and Japan have
    formed one of the great and enduring alliances of modern times. From
    that alliance has come an era of peace in the Pacific. And in that
    peace, the world has witnessed the broad advance of prosperity and
    democracy throughout east Asia.
        From its very birth, our alliance has been based on common
    interests, common responsibilities, and common values. The bonds of
    friendship and trust between our two people were never more evident than
    in the days and months after September the 11th. We were grateful, so
    very grateful, for the condolences and compassion of the Japanese people
    and the Japanese Government. We were especially touched--especially
    touched that the people of Ehime Prefecture sent a donation to the
    families of victims, showing empathy for loss, even when their own loss
    was so recent. This is a gesture of friendship my Nation will never
    forget.
        Last fall in Shanghai, the Prime Minister gave me a special gift, a samurai arrow in a box in
    which the Prime Minister had written, ``The arrow to defeat the evil and
    bring peace to the Earth.'' He also said, ``This is a fight we have to
    win to ensure the survival of freedom.''
        I assured him then, and I assure you today, freedom will prevail.
    Civilization and terrorism cannot coexist, and by defeating terror, we
    will defend the peace of the world.
        Japan and America are working to find and disrupt terrorist cells.
    Your diplomats helped build a worldwide coalition to defend freedom.
    Your Self-Defense Forces are providing important logistical support, and
    your generosity is helping to rebuild a liberated Afghanistan.
        Your response to the terrorist threat has demonstrated the strength
    of our alliance and the indispensable role of Japan that is global, and
    that begins in Asia. The success of this region is essential to the
    entire world, and I'm convinced the 21st century will be the Pacific
    century.
        Japan and America share a vision for the future of the Asia-Pacific
    region as a fellowship of free Pacific nations. We seek a peaceful
    region where no power or coalition of powers endangers the security or
    freedom of other nations, where military force is not used to resolve
    political disputes. We seek a peaceful region where the proliferation of
    missiles and weapons of mass destruction do not threaten humanity. We
    seek a region with strong institutions of economic and political
    cooperation that is open to trade and investment on a global scale, a
    region in which people and capital and information can move freely,
    breaking down barriers and creating bonds of progress, ties of culture,
    and momentum toward democracy. We seek a region in which demilitarized
    zones and missile batteries no longer separate people with a common
    heritage and a common future.
        Realizing this vision, a fellowship of free Pacific nations, will
    require Japan and America to work more closely together than ever
    before. Our responsibilities are clear. Fortunately, our alliance has
    never been stronger.

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        America, like Japan, is a Pacific nation, drawn by trade and values
    and history to be a part of Asia's future. We stand more committed than
    ever to a forward presence in this region. We will continue to show
    American power and purpose in support of the Philippines, Australia, and
    Thailand. We will deter aggression against the Republic of Korea.
    Together, Japan and the United States will strengthen our ties of
    security. America will remember our commitments to the people on Taiwan.
    And to help protect the people of this region and our friends and allies
    in every region, we will press on with an effective program of missile
    defenses.
        In a few days, I'll visit China. America, like Japan, welcomes a
    China that is stable and prosperous and at peace with its neighbors.
    We're grateful for China's cooperation in the war against terror. We
    both supported China's entry into the World Trade Organization. And we
    will work with China in the great task of building a prosperous and
    stable Asia for our children and for our grandchildren.
        In the United States, China will find a partner in trade. China will
    find the respect it deserves as a great nation. And America will find--
    and China will find that America speaks for the universal values that
    gave our Nation birth, the rule of law, the freedom of conscience and
    religion, and the rights and dignity of every life. Those are the values
    of my country, and those are the values of our alliance.
        America and Japan have joined to oppose danger and aggression. We
    have also joined to bring aid and hope to those who struggle throughout
    the developing world. We are the world's two largest economies and the
    two most generous contributors of economic and humanitarian aid. Japan's
    commitment to development is known and honored throughout the world. So
    is Japan's leading role in great international institutions, the United
    Nations, the World Bank, and the G-8, among others.
        The challenges of development are often deep and difficult:
    persistent poverty, widespread illiteracy, terrible disease. Money is
    necessary; yet, money alone will not solve these problems. Lasting help
    will come as we help to rebuild honest government and effective law
    enforcement, quality schools and quality hospitals, and growing
    economies. Progress will require a long-term commitment, and we both
    must provide it.
        In the months ahead, our nations will take part in two world summits
    focused on development. Japan and the United States should work to
    expand our partnerships with the private sectors, to reform
    international financial institutions, to improve access to education for
    boys and girls in Asia and Africa and in the Middle East. In all our
    efforts we must put resources where they do the most good, with the
    people and the communities we are trying to help.
        Our two countries have unique strengths and a unique opportunity to
    combine them for the benefit of the world. In science, we're exploring
    new technologies to produce energy while protecting the environment. In
    medicine, we're exploring the human genome and nearing treatments and
    cures to extend lives and relieve suffering.
        Japan is making these great contributions even in a time of economic
    uncertainty and transition that has caused some to question whether your
    nation can maintain these commitments and your leadership in the world.
    I have no such questions, and I'm confident that Japan's greatest era
    lies ahead. Japan has some of the most competitive corporations and some
    of the most educated and motivated workers in the world. And Japan,
    thanks to my friend the Prime Minister, is
    on the path to reform.
        I value my relationship with the Prime Minister. He is a leader who
    embodies the energy and determination of his country. He and I have had
    very good visits. I trust him. I enjoy his sense of humor. [Laughter] I
    consider him a close friend. He reminds

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    me of a new American star, Ichiro. [Laughter]
    The Prime Minister can hit anything you throw at him. [Laughter]
        Over the years we Americans have seen our share of economic
    challenges. In the late seventies and early eighties, our
    competitiveness was weak; our banks were in trouble; high taxes and
    needless regulation discouraged risktaking and strangled innovation.
    America overcame these difficulties by reducing taxes and by reducing
    regulations. We moved nonperforming loans to market, making way for new
    investment. As we made reforms, foreign investors regained faith in us,
    especially investors from Japan.
        We learned that, in times of crisis and stagnation, it is better to
    move forward boldly with reform and restructuring than to wait, hoping
    that old practices will somehow work again. Through bold action, we
    emerged a better and stronger economy, and so will you.
        Over the past few years, Americans have increased our investments in
    Japan, further binding our nations and showing confidence in your
    future. Japan has a proud history of moving forward, not through
    revolutions but through restorations.
        One of the heroes of the Meiji Restoration, Yukichi Fukuzawa, was a
    student of the economic ideas that transformed the Western world. He saw
    these ideas spark prosperity and lift millions out of poverty, and he
    sought to introduce them to his people. As he translated an influential
    economics textbook into Japanese, he came across an English word with no
    Japanese equivalent, ``competition.'' So he coined a new word, kyoso,
    and forever enriched the Japanese language.
        But kyoso is more than just a word. It is a spirit and an ethic. It
    is an engine that drives innovation and unleashes the potential of free
    people. More than a century ago, competition helped propel Japanese
    economy into the modern era. A half-century ago, it accelerated the
    Japanese postwar economic miracle admired by the world. Now Japan has
    embarked on a new restoration, a restoration of prosperity and economic
    growth through fundamental reform and the full embrace of competition.
        In all the work that lies ahead, in the defense of freedom, in the
    advance of development, in the work of reform, you'll have a firm ally
    in the American Government, and you'll have a constant friend in the
    American people.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:35 a.m. in the Chamber of the House of
    Councillors. In his remarks, he referred to Tamisuke Watanuki, Speaker,
    House of Representatives; Yutaka Inoue, President, House of Councillors;
    Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan; U.S. Ambassador to Japan
    Howard H. Baker, Jr., and his wife, former Senator Nancy Kassebaum
    Baker; Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan; and Ichiro Suzuki,
    Major League Baseball player, Seattle Mariners.