皇太子殿下 ガーナ及びケニアご訪問時のおことば

Your Excellency, Mr. Mills, President of the Republic of Ghana,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am greatly honored to visit your country at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of Ghana. This is my first visit to a country in Sub-Saharan Africa. I would also like to express my deep appreciation for hosting such a magnificent welcome luncheon for us, and for the heartwarming words by His Excellency President Mills.

I have just visited the Nkrumah Memorial Park, and I was reminded of the course which the then Prime Minister Nkrumah led the Republic of Ghana to its independence. The year 1960, in which I was born, is called “The Year of Africa”. I am told that the Republic of Ghana achieved its independence in 1957, three years before I was born, and that Ghana has taken the lead in African liberation.

Yet, I am aware that the following fifty years of its history has not been an uneventful path for the countries in Africa, including Ghana. While some countries in Africa successfully achieved their economic growth thanks to, among others, their rich underground resources, I realize that there are also many African countries which still face serious problems such as poverty, infectious diseases, and conflicts.

Since the First Tokyo International Conference on African Development in 1993 I think that the relations between Japan and the African continent have greatly developed over the years. I hope to make my visit to the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of Kenya an opportunity to learn more about the various issues which the African continent faces. It will also be a fresh opportunity to strengthen the relations between Japan and Africa as a whole.

Your Excellency, Mr. President,

Japan established its Embassy in the Republic of Ghana in 1959, two years after the foundation of the country, and has for over half a century been working to strengthen bilateral relations. Today, Japan and the Republic of Ghana are connected with strong ties, and many Japanese have a strong affinity to Ghana.

For example, nearly eighty percent of Japan’s importation of cacao beans is produced in the Republic of Ghana. The Japanese have been enjoying the delicious chocolate made from cacao beans grown in Ghana. Also, shea butter, of which Ghana accounts for ten percent of the world production, has recently attracted attention in Japan as a material for making soap and makeup.

In this context, let me relate my first encounter with Ghana. In 1970, when I was in elementary school, the world exposition took place for the first time in Japan. I visited several pavilion in the exposition. I still remember visiting the Ghana pavilion at that time. That might have been the very first encounter in my life with Africa.

Looking back over the relations between Japan and Ghana, what stays in our memory is the name of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi. Dr. Noguchi, in devoting himself to his research here in Accra, ended up being a yellow fever victim himself. It is no exaggeration to say that he is a symbol of the friendship between our two countries.

Two years ago, the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize was established. Its purpose was to honor individuals who have made distinguished achievements in the field of medical research and medical services to combat infection in Africa. Its aims are to contribute to improving the health and welfare of the African people and of all humankind. I have been told that the support by the government of Ghana was also a great force in establishing this prize, and I am looking forward to participating in tomorrow’s memorial symposium.

Dr. Noguchi’s will has been passed on to people such as the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers who take an active part here. Since the first dispatching of those volunteers in 1977, over a thousand Japanese young people have given their utmost to the nation-building of the Republic of Ghana. They have sweated away at work with the local people in areas such as taking measures against infectious diseases, education for children and job training.

It has come to my attention that these volunteers, even after they return to Japan, participate in various events in which they interact with Ghana. By doing so, they are acting as a bridge of friendship between our two countries. This afternoon I am going to visit a school which provides Japanese language education, and I am very pleased that children in Ghana in learning Japanese have become interested in Japan.

Your Excellency, Mr. President,

Japan and Ghana have developed strong ties thanks to the efforts by nationals of both countries. I am told that recently the relations in new areas such as climate change, in which both sides have strong interests, and academic exchanges between the universities in Ghana and Japan have been developing as well.

The path of friendship between our countries which Dr. Noguchi left on this land has been trodden steadfastly by many young people of the late twentieth century. It has become a strong and firm road, and will be broadened in the twenty-first century. I hope that my visit will open up a new era of exchanges between Japan and the Republic of Ghana and thus further the enhancement of mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of both countries.

And now, may I propose a toast. I would like to express my sincere thanks to His Excellency President Mills and the people of the Republic of Ghana, for good health and for every happiness.

Thank you

Hamjambo !
Habari gani?

The Right Honourabale Raila Amolo Odinga, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour for me to visit Kenya, at the invitation of the government of the Republic of Kenya. Kenya is one of the Sub-Sahara African countries I am visiting for the first time in my life. In 1983, His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, then Crown Prince, representing the Showa Emperor, visited Kenya as a return visit to the then President Moi. Visiting the same place at almost the same age as the Emperor did when he was close to 50 years old, more than a quarter of a century later, invokes a special feeling in me. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for this magnificent banquet and for the heartfelt words that the Prime Minister has extended to me. It is my great pleasure to meet the Prime Minister again shortly after we met in Tokyo on the occasion of the visit to Japan.

Since arriving in Kenya, I have had at first hand many chances to experience pristine nature, met various people and visited places which are closely associated with Japan. These are precious occasions which have made me think about the past, the present and the future friendly relationship between our two countries.

The Japanese people have an image of Africa as a continent blessed with the treasures of nature and affluent with flora and fauna. Above all, Kenya is a symbol of nature and a place admired by many nature-loving Japanese. Kenya also reminds a generation shortly before my own of an adventure story entitled “A boy in Kenya”. For those people who have read and watched this story (which was transformed into various forms of art including comic books and a TV drama) at the height of its popularity more than fifty years ago, Kenya was synonymous with a pristine nature they had never seen. Their yearning towards Kenya is still shared among Japanese.

I should also point out that Kenya is particularly known for its long-distance runners, and on TV in Japan we often see Kenyan marathon runners.

These are some of the reason why more than 10,000 Japanese people visit Kenya annually. I myself visited Mt. Kenya and the Sweetwaters Game Reserves this morning. I was very impressed with the two very difficult but important challenges Kenya is tackling, namely: tourism development and the conservation of the environment.

I have heard, however, with great concern, that the beautiful nature in which Kenya takes such pride is currently being exposed to significant changes due to the various factors such as global warming. Through this visit, I am convinced that more efforts should be made to conserve the nature of Kenya, which is the common heritage of the world. I have heard that several Japanese Oversees Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) are working in the area of environmental protection. I firmly believe that Japan should cooperate with Kenya for the environmental protection of Kenya and other African countries.

As I have mentioned, the relationship between Japan and Kenya is not based merely on nature and environment. There are other factors as well.

Today, I visited the Mwea Irrigation Scheme. Rice, as I am sure you know, is the staple diet of the Japanese people. I realize that many Kenyan people also eat rice. For more than twenty years, Japan has cooperated with Kenya for the increased production of rice, which is one of the most important food sources. Thanks also to the efforts by the Kenyan people, the Mwea area has become a vast rice field producing 80% of the total rice production in Kenya. I am more than happy to know that not only has Japan contributed to rice production but also has boosted the living standards of Kenyans and helped in nation building.

Mr. Prime Minister,

Regarding the JOCV, I personally have met JOCV members in Japan on numerous occasions, including those who were dispatched to Kenya. I have listened to their thoughts about their future missions in their assigned duty stations. Listening to the real experiences of them here in Kenya, I definitely believe that their activities have helped build a bridge between Japan and Kenya. During my stay I have also had the chance to listen to those Japanese people living in Kenya and who are engaged in various activities such as economic ones and sport interexchanges. These people have also been playing a significant role as a bridge between two countries, fostering their friendship with the Kenyan people.

Every time I visit other countries in the world, I always feel strongly that it is these bonds between people that are the key to the relationship between Japan and other countries. Here in Kenya, I am convinced that the efforts made by both Japanese and Kenyans to maintain and strengthen good friendship between our two countries are the very basis for our friendly relationship.

Yesterday, I was welcomed by Japanese and Kenyan primary school students when I visited the Japanese School in Nairobi. The joint performance of the Japanese and Kenyan songs by this future generation struck a touching chord in me.

I sincerely hope that the exchanges between Japan and Kenya will be harmonious just like the beautiful singing voices I heard yesterday, and that my visit will provide a momentum for furthering the mutual understanding and the friendly relationship between our two countries.

Milima haikutani, lakini binadamu hukutana.
Nchi zetu zina vilele vinavyoamkiana, yaani, kilele cha Mlima
Kenya na kilele cha Mlima Fuji. Sote tunajivunia mazingira haya

Ninaomba uhusiano baina ya Kenya na Japani uimarishwe zaidi na zaidi
Ninawatakieni afya nzuri na kila la heri
Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu Odinga
na wananchi wote wa Jamhuri ya Kenya
Basi tunywe panoja,
“Kwa afya !”

Asanteni sana.