Addresses by His Majesty the Emperor (2025)

His Excellency President U. Khurelsukh, First Lady Mrs. L. Bolortsetseg,

Distinguished guests,

Ta бүхэнтэй дахин уулзсандаа таатай байна. (I am delighted to reunite with you all.)

I wish to convey my heartfelt appreciation for the gracious hospitality extended to Her Majesty the Empress and myself as state guests, and for the tremendous consideration and kindness shown to us by the President and First Lady, along with all the people of Mongolia. I still look back fondly on the time when we welcomed the President and First Lady to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo three years ago, and later enjoyed the concert by the Mongolian National Morin Khuur Symphony Orchestra together.

My first visit to Mongolia in 2007 is also a treasured memory that left a profound impression on me. As this visit marks the first visit to Mongolia by the Emperor of Japan, I sincerely hope it will further strengthen the friendly relations between our two nations, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to attend the opening ceremony of the Naadam Festival, the national celebration of Mongolia. Furthermore, I find it deeply meaningful that, through the initiative of President Khurelsukh, July 11—the day of the Naadam opening ceremony—has been designated “World Horse Day” at the United Nations.

Since arriving here the day before yesterday, I have gotten the impression that, alongside Mongolia’s economic development, Mongolian society has grown even more vibrant now than it was at the time of my previous visit. I am delighted to be visiting your country with the Empress during this most beautiful season, described as one where grass and trees sprout and bloom in competition beneath the deep blue sky.

The foundation of the deep friendship and cooperation between our two nations lies in the bonds between people. During my previous visit, I mentioned that our bilateral relations had not yet reached their peak. This is reflected, for example, in the fact that while there were approximately 1,100 Mongolian students studying in Japan in 2007, this number has increased more than fourfold in just under 20 years. On this visit, I look forward to visiting educational and medical facilities where those who studied in Japan are now active, and I am truly delighted to have the opportunity to interact with the young people who will lead the next generation, as well as those who studied in Japan and are now guiding the next generation.　

During my previous visit, when it rained, I learned that rain is considered a very auspicious sign in Mongolia. This made me truly appreciate the importance of water for people living in arid regions. Yesterday, I inspected the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority of Ulaanbaatar City and the Gachuurt Water Source. Seeing the people of both our countries cooperating to tackle the challenge of ensuring a stable supply of this vital water resource was deeply moving. And it was indeed fortuitous that it was raining during my visit to the Gachuurt Water Source.

I believe it is during challenging times that we truly appreciate the value of human connections and compassion. When Japan faced major disasters such as the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, and the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, the people of Mongolia immediately extended their support. We will never forget the warm hearts of the Mongolian people who gave us courage in those times.

Our two nations have developed a deep friendship and a wide-ranging cooperative relationship in human resource development, manufacturing, healthcare, sports, environmental protection, and more. We must not forget that the foundation for this positive relationship lies in the long-standing exchanges between our peoples that began even before the establishment of our diplomatic relations. I would like to express my deepest respect to all those who have made great efforts in this regard and poured a lot of passion into developing our bilateral relations, while overcoming various difficulties.

The potential for exchange and cooperation between our two nations is as vast as the Mongolian steppe. I hope the younger generation, who will build bridges between our countries, will continue to forge a way forward, just as those who came before them, and that the seeds of cooperation sown across this vast land will blossom into an abundance of flowers. I also hope that by fully harnessing this new vitality, these young people will ensure that the relationship between our two countries will continue to develop without limits toward ever greater heights—toward тэнгэр (sky), the blue sky of Mongolia.

I extend my gratitude to President Khurelsukh and Mrs. Boroltsetseg for hosting this splendid banquet today. Please allow me to raise a glass now and express my sincere wishes for the good health and happiness of the President and his wife, and the citizens of both our nations, and for the further development of Japan-Mongolia relations.

За, хундага өргөе! (Let us raise our glasses! [To good health and happiness!])

Та бүхэн сайхан наадаарай. (Let us enjoy the Naadam!)