[Title] Remarks by Foreign Minister IWAYA

Ambassador SASAE,

Vice Chair of the Japan Institute of International affairs, Mr. OIKAWA,

Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great honor to welcome you all to this reception.

I'm IWAYA Takeshi, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.

At the outset, allow me to express my heartfelt congratulations to the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) on the holding of the 6th Tokyo Global Dialogue.

My deepest respects go out to the leadership of President SASAE, who has developed this dialogue as one of Japan's leading international symposiums.

I also thank all those involved for their contribution to gather the world's precious wisdom here in Tokyo.

In recent years, the international community has seen a succession of events that have marked a turning point in history, including the spread of COVID-19, Russia's aggression against Ukraine, drastic changes in the security environment in East Asia, and the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.

The "rule of law" that underpinned the stability and prosperity of the post-Cold War era is now facing major challenges.

At this critical juncture in history, diplomacy is becoming more and more important.

Through diplomacy, we must acquire "global resilience", which is the theme of this year's Tokyo Global Dialogue.

At the same time, we must firmly protect the existing international order based on the "rule of law," which has benefited all countries.

Last week, I visited the United States on the occasion of the Inauguration Ceremony of President Trump. In the Foreign Ministers' Meeting with new Secretary of State Marco Rubio, we agreed to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. Alliance, which is the cornerstone of regional peace and stability.

We also held the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, as the first diplomatic event for Secretary Rubio after his inauguration.

We reaffirmed cooperation among allies and like- minded countries to realize a "Free and Open Indo- Pacific (FOIP)".

In this new era, it is also essential to work together with the Global South.

By promoting a diplomacy of "dialogue and harmony," Japan will seek to co-create solutions to issues facing us all.

In this regard, we will take advantage of various diplomatic opportunities, including the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), which will be held in Yokohama this August.

In moving ahead with Japan's diplomacy, the knowledge and proposals of JIIA have been and will continue to be very meaningful.

I hope for fruitful discussions at the Tokyo Global Dialogue, which begins from tomorrow.

Thank you very much.