[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 24 (Monday, June 20, 1994)]
[Page 1278]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the State Dinner for the Emperor and Empress of Japan

June 13, 1994

    Ladies and gentlemen, Your Majesties, our other distinguished guests 
from Japan, ladies and gentlemen. We are honored and privileged to 
welcome this evening the Emperor and Empress of Japan.
    You are no strangers to the United States, but it gives me 
particular pleasure to host you here at the White House on this, the 
occasion of your first visit to America since you ascended to the 
Chrysanthemum Throne.
    As citizens of a relatively young nation, we Americans are honored 
by your presence, and we deeply value the rich culture and history you 
represent. You embody a tradition that stretches back century after 
century and a people who have brought the world a civilization of great 
elegance.
    At a time when the call of tradition so often clashes with the 
demands of the modern world, Your Majesties revere your ancestors and 
your past and, yet, revel in your own people's extraordinary ability to 
innovate for tomorrow.
    Your personal interest in your nation's cultural heritage is matched 
by your vital curiosity about the world around you. And your travels 
have surely taken you far and wide. You have fully pursued professional 
knowledge, and yet, in your devotion to your family, you have set an 
example for us all. Through your words and deeds, Your Majesties have 
earned the respect and the admiration of the Japanese people. But those 
are sentiments we Americans also share.
    Today, the ties that bind our two nations have never been stronger. 
The miracles of technology and the common search for democracy, 
prosperity, and peace have brought us together. Exchange between our two 
peoples has opened windows and shed great light. Yet, there is always 
more to learn. And as we gather here tonight in 1994, our relationship 
is still unfolding.
    The Japanese poet, Basho, put it well in a haiku that sums up the 
distance ahead:

    Nearing autumn's close,
    My neighbor--
    How does he live?
    I wonder.

    May Your Majesties' visit provide new answers to that question and 
bring our peoples closer still. May your journey across our land be 
enjoyable and leave you wanting to visit us again. And may the sea that 
separates us be also a shining path between us.
    Your Majesties, Hillary and I thank you for gracing our Nation's 
home tonight. It is with deep admiration and respect for you and the 
great nation you represent that I now ask all of us to raise our glasses 
to join in a toast to you and to the people of Japan.

Note: The President spoke at 8:58 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House.