Sakurai:
Happy New Year!
Abe:
Happy New Year!
Sakurai:
Heisei 30 will be a really important year.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is to recapture the administration enters the sixth year, standing position of Japan in the international community is now very powerful, and security environment around Japan looks very severe.
Meanwhile, I think that it was good that the LDP won the victory in the House of Representatives election last autumn.
Abe:
There was criticism of the House of Representatives election last year.
However, in order to create a situation in which North Korea will come to say, "We’d like to discuss, we are changing our policy", the international community must intensify the pressure in cooperation.
In order to appeal this to the world it was important to gain public confidence.
Thanks to that, at the post-election Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (APEC) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), the heads of the countries listened to my argument.
I realized that I got the power from the people and could demonstrate diplomatic power.
Sakurai:
It is not in the past that Japan had a presence in the international community as much as now, don’t you think so?
Abe:
I wouldn’t say yes to that arrogantly, but I can say that it is a big progress to be able to speak in my heart frankly with many leaders since we have been in power for a long time.
Nakarai:
Prime Minister Abe, as you are close with quirky foreign leaders such as President Putin and US President Trump, you are called "fierce beast use", but is there any trick for this?
Abe:
I’m responding in a natural way though. (chuckling)
The United States is the only ally that fights with us when Japan is attacked from abroad.
Whoever may become the president, it can be said that building a relationship of trust is the responsibility of the Prime Minister of Japan.
Fortunately I was able to make a relationship that I can say anything to each other with President Trump.
We’ve played golf twice ....
This is a pretty big point.
I can speak with the busy US president without hurry for about half a day.
I can also understand the person's personality.
With President Putin I already had 20 meetings and could develop and strengthen mutual trust.
Sakurai:
I heard that there are phone calls from various leaders asking about President Trump, but is it true?
Abe:
I cannot tell you about it that much ....
The relationship with the European Union (EU) has never been as close as it is now.
Last December the negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) of the EU were concluded. It is predicted that Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) will be boosted by 1%, and a new engine for Abenomics has been made.
Sakurai:
I think it is wonderful that being in the center Japan could cooperate with countries that share values.
Abe:
As Japan was not very good at making rules, it was great that we became central.
This draft continues.