Addresses by His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince (2003)

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince on the Occasion of the Opening Ceremony The 7th Asia/Oceania Regional Congress of Gerontology(2003)

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince
on the Occasion of the Opening Ceremony The 7th Asia/Oceania
Regional Congress of Gerontology
November 24, 2003
at Tokyo International Forum

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to see the 7th Asia/Oceania Regional Congress of Gerontology being held here with many participants from around the world.

We are now in the 21st century, when the shift to a rapidly aging society is an issue all over the world including Japan. Japan's elderly people account for over 18% of the total population, which is the highest percentage in the world, and this trend is expected to accelerate as time goes on. It is also predicted that the same trend will affect other nations in the Asia/Oceania region in the near future.

Consequently, it is becoming increasingly necessary to enhance the systems of medical care and social welfare for the elderly to ensure a happy and energetic environment for the aged. To aid the creation of such an environment, the Asia/Oceania Regional Congress of Gerontology, now meeting in Japan for the second time in twelve years, can play a critical role.

In this year's congress, under the main theme of "Promoting Sciences and Humanities for Successful Aging," relevant information will be exchanged through keynote speeches by specialists in various disciplines, through symposiums that will provide a cross-sectional view of gerontology, and through various presentations on research achievements. I believe that this conference will be an excellent opportunity for the participants to re-examine their day-to-day research and activities from an international perspective, and that it will be a significant forum for helping the world to make a successful transition to a mature society in the 21st century.

I close my address by expressing the hope that experts in various fields gathered together here will fully share their expertise, and that the deliberations of the congress will lead to concrete implementations, thus providing further advances in the medical care and social welfare of the world's elderly population.

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince to the Awards Ceremony of the 30th Japan Prize Contest(2003)

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince
to the Awards Ceremony of the 30th Japan Prize Contest
Wednesday,November 5,2003
NHK Hall

I am pleased to be present together with you all at the 30th commemorative Japan Prize International Educational Program Contest Awards Ceremony.

As the international community grows ever more diverse and complex, so education also becomes ever more important as an issue throughout the world. The Japan Prize, since its establishment in 1965, has pursued the role of broadcasting in education, greatly contributing to improvement of educational programs around the world and helping to deepen mutual understanding among the countries of the world.

I have attended the Awards Ceremony since the 17th Japan Prize Contest in 1989, and have seen the development of educational programs worldwide. Each time, I am deeply impressed by the enthusiasm of the program producers, who treat a wide variety of themes with the latest technology and abundant modes of expression.

In this year's Contest, a commemorative event entitled "Young Voices, Adult Choices" has been included, and a new division called Program Proposal has been added. I am told that this year's Contest, in its three divisions, has had 244 program entries from 137 organizations, the largest number of entries in its 38-year history. I wish to acknowledge here all the persons involved in broadcasting and education around the world, whose efforts to improve educational programs have sustained the Japan Prize down through the years.

I look forward to seeing to what extent the new Program Proposal division will contribute to encouraging and supporting the world's producers of educational programs in their various environments. It is certainly significant the way people of the world are increasing their awareness of the problems of education and how untiring they are in creating a future for our children and building a better society for tomorrow.

I would like to conclude by expressing my wish that the Japan Prize will continue to develop ever more in the future.

unofficial translation

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince at the Opening Ceremony of Joint Commemorative Forum / GEA(2003)

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince
at the Opening Ceremony of
Joint Commemorative Forum / GEA
October 24, 2003
Capitol Tokyu Hotel

I am very pleased that the Global Environmental Action Conference is being held with the participation of so many distinguished participants from Japan and abroad.

It is our responsibility to protect our precious global environment and pass it on to future generations.

The 21st century in which we are now living has been called the "Century of the Environment". We need to seriously consider what concrete measures need to be taken under international cooperation to prevent deterioration of the global environment and to ensure a sustainable future.

To attain such a sustainable future, it is important to use wisely the natural resources which nature has created, and to promote environmental education such as will produce persons who possess the knowledge and technology that will make such wise use possible. To this end, it is also desirable to make good use of the advanced information technology of today.

I find it of great significance that this conference will be holding discussions on how to build a sustainable tomorrow. It is my fervent wish that the conclusions reached by this forum will be promulgated throughout the world and that further concrete measures will be taken in every country.

unofficial translation

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince for the 18th Planetary Congress of the Association of Space Explorers(2003)

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince for the 18th
Planetary Congress of the Association of Space Explorers
18th ASE Planetary Congress Opening Ceremony
Monday, Oct. 13, 2003
International Conference Hall, Plaza Heisei
Tokyo International Exchange Center

I am pleased that the 18th Planetary Congress of the Association of Space Explorers is being held in Japan, the first time for our country, providing me the opportunity to meet the participants from around the world.

The night sky with its myriad stars has fascinated mankind since time immemorial, and man has long dreamed of exploring space. That dream has come true, and the first manned flight of 1961 together with the first landing on the moon in 1969 marked the beginning of the history of space exploration. Viewing the earth from above through the eyes of the astronauts, the people of the world have come to understand clearly that the earth is uniquely endowed with water, which is often praised as the origin of life, and is truly something that mankind can not do without.

I myself remember learning as a schoolboy about the famous words of Major Yuri Gagarin, "The Earth was blue!" and about those of the first woman ever to become an astronaut, Valentina Tereshkova, "This is the Seagull". I remember too watching with fascination the televised broadcast of the first lunar landing by Apollo 11.

We must not forget that the history of space exploration is built not only on the glorious successes of many many astronauts, but also on the sacrifice of precious lives. I am touched with sadness each time I recall the accident that befell the space shuttle Columbia, in which 7 precious lives were lost in February this year. Goals such as rising above this tragedy and finding measures to make space travel safer would in themselves alone be ample justification for this gathering of the world's astronauts.

I am told that as part of the agenda of this Planetary Congress with the theme "Learning from Space", the participating astronauts will travel throughout the country to meet with the young people of Japan. I think this will be a splendid opportunity to instill into our youth enthusiasm for space and scientific technology. I am sure that the astronauts of each country have gazed down upon Japan from space, and this time I would like you all to look at our country with your feet on the ground, to see the people living here and deepen your appreciation of our history and our culture.

Finally, let me conclude by expressing the hope that the discussions to take place here will bear fruit for the benefit of mankind and for the conservation of our environment.

unofficial translation

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince on the Occasion of the Opening Ceremony of the 18th Biennial Conference of LAWASIA(2003)

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince
on the Occasion of the Opening Ceremony of the 18th Biennial Conference of LAWASIA
Tuesday, September 2, 2003
Hotel New Otani, Tokyo

Honorable Chief Justices,
Minister of Justice,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am greatly pleased that the 18th Biennial Conference of LAWASIA 2003 has brought together so many legal professionals and jurists from around the Asian and Pacific region.

Characteristic phenomena within the region today include remarkable economic development as well as the emergence of legal issues such as environmental protection. Under these circumstances, it is desirable to work towards a fair social structure based upon the rule of law. For this purpose, it is becoming more important to establish an effective system of legal training and to improve legal infrastructure, while also promoting the exchange of information and experiences.

From this viewpoint, it is very timely that legal professionals in the region get together and exchange views on the various problems which face the region. It is also very significant that the Chief Justices of each country are here to discuss, from a broad perspective, the necessity of establishing a fair and neutral judiciary.

I wish to close by expressing the sincere hope that your active discussions at this conference will aid the promotion of friendship and mutual understanding in the Asian and Pacific region, and will contribute to the establishment of a legal framework that will open the prospect of a brighter future for all people.

Address by His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince on the occasion of the Opening Ceremony of the 3rd World Water Forum(2003)

Address by His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince
on the occasion of the Opening Ceremony of the 3rd World Water Forum
Sunday, March 16, 2003
Kyoto International Conference Hall

Your Royal Highnesses,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am greatly pleased that the 3rd World Water Forum is bringing together so many participants from all over the world, to be held here in the Lake Biwa and Yodo River Basin, which connects Kyoto, Shiga and Osaka.

Water is essential for the existence of all living creatures. All four of the great ancient civilizations flourished alongside large rivers, and this bears witness to the fact that water is a blessing for humanity in many ways, including nourishment and transportation.

But this water is now in a stage of crisis.

Crises caused by water-related problems such as water shortages, water pollution and floods have been spreading all over the world, and due to the rapid increase of the world's population, this situation is expected to become even more serious. On the other hand, there is an increasing need to rediscover the merit of water as an efficient medium for transportation. Furthermore, I believe that spreading education on water has increased its importance for various reasons including the safe utilization of water.

For these reasons, the 21st century is rightly called "the century of water".

In order to resolve these diverse water issues, international organizations, governments and experts, as well as many individuals and groups such as NGOs working at the grassroots level, are gathered at this 3rd World Water Forum to mobilize all their wisdom, not only to discuss these issues, but also to search for concrete measures for initiating actions.

At "the World Summit on Sustainable Development" held last September in Johannesburg, a great many people expressed the expectation that the 3rd World Water Forum would provide an opportunity to verify the outcome of the Summit.

In the interest of creating a bright and promising 21st century, I wish to close by expressing sincere hope that your active discussions at the Water Forum, and a network of firm actions will expand around the world, so that we may be able to move step by step towards the resolution of world water issues.