It is my great pleasure to announce today that I was appointed at a recent meeting of the board of executives the 5th Chairman of the International Friendship Exchange Council (FEC).� It is indeed a great honor bestowed upon me and now I feel extremely responsible for this important mission.

Founded in 1983, FEC was the non-profit organization in Japan to deepen international understanding and friendship.� Since then, it has been actively engaged in the promotion of international exchanges on the basis of private initiatives and carried on activities to support Japan's diplomacy.� Through exchanges of persons, economy and culture it has contributed a great deal to the enhancement of better mutual understanding among nations and the strengthening of friendly relationship among the peoples of the world.

With the progress of globalization and interpersonal as well as material exchanges that transcend national borders, today no country can survive without any cooperation or contacts from the rest of the world.� Therefore, mutual understanding and interdependent relations are becoming more and more important in the international society.� By promoting goodwill among nations and deepening other nations understanding of Japan through various forms of international exchanges, FEC has successfully established the basis of Japan's friendly relations with other nations and thereby contributed to the world peace and prosperity.

Under the proper guidance of the successive chairmen presidents, all the board of executives and corporate and individual members, FEC has a history of 19 years and has made remarkable achievemets in the non-governmental diplomacy.� I will keep this tradition and do what I can as one of Japanese citizens to contribute to the development of our country and the world pease through the further progress of FEC.
In these efforts, I sincerely hope for the continued understanding and the good cooperation of all the board of executives as well as corporate and individual members. Thank you.