 Good evening, Your Excellency. Good evening in Tokyo. Dear partners, dear friends, good morning, good afternoon. Good evening. It's such a great honor for us to have the Prime Minister of Japan, His Excellency Suga Yoshihide, join us for this special address. Prime Minister, during this week's Davos agenda we have been taking the pulse from global leaders about the state of the world. And it is so fitting on this final day of the Davos agenda that we have the opportunity to hear from you, to discuss with you Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, an important global leader from – we should never forget – the third-largest economy in the world. Mr. Prime Minister, since 1971 I have had the honor to visit Japan every year, of course with the exception of last year for obvious reasons. And we – the World Economic Forum – has built very strong relationships with Japan, with Japan's business leaders. But I would like to personally thank you as well as the government of Japan for your great friendship and support, particularly also for our center for the forced-sidus revolution which we have established in Tokyo. Over the last twelve months the world has been completely reshaped by the pandemic. Global cooperation is needed more than ever to ensure a promising future. As the leading global community for constructive transformations, the World Economic Forum is committed to bring leaders together to address the most pressing issues in the world. Mr. Prime Minister, as the world is confronting the COVID-19 crisis and hopefully coming out of the crisis thanks of vaccines, you have been working diligently to protect Japanese citizens from the health and economic crisis which is – which this pandemic has brought about. While also I should stress building a long-term vision for net zero for your country. You are also reaching out to global leaders to build a more positive, a more inclusive, a more sustainable post-COVID world. Mr. Prime Minister, I believe this is the perfect time for us to hear from you regarding Japan's strategic priorities and your view of how the global recovery should take shape. We now all welcome his Excellency, Suga Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan. Thank you very much indeed. I am Suga Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan, Executive Chairman Schwab and participating ladies and gentlemen. It is indeed a great pleasure that I'm given this precious opportunity of exchanging views with you. World over, the fight against COVID-19 goes on. This crisis is not only impacting the life and health of people but it is giving a serious impact to economy and business activities of the countries from where people are participating today. Even in post-COVID world, I am resolved that I am going to explore into the future by finding an answer to difficult challenges and many walls inhibiting us in order to leave the world by growing the Japanese economy. Today, I would like to convey to you through three points through which I would like to show my vision looking toward the post-COVID world that Japan tries to become. First one is that we will do our utmost for the closure of this pandemic. In Japan, from the beginning of this year, we announced the state of emergency and as for the government, we are doing whatever it takes to prevent the expanding infection. By benefiting the cooperation from the citizens at large, I am standing in the front line of the battle. I am liaising with the municipal stakeholders and I am determined to write over this difficulty. No one's health is left behind. This is the motto of universal health coverage. In order to accomplish that, including the developing nations, we must ensure the equitable access to vaccines and the like. It's very important. As one of the co-sponsors of ACT Accelerator, Japan has been advancing this multilateral framework and we will continue to do so. In terms of funding, in order to strengthen the vaccine supply to the assistance to the developing nations of COVAX facility, we have pledged the contribution of more than $113 million and we plan to enhance this amount going forward. We must take lessons from this experience. We must prepare ourselves for the future crisis. With that viewpoint in mind, we attach great importance to the fact that WHO is going to steadfastly implement scientific survey and verification in a transparent manner. To this important point, Japan will render proactive cooperation. The second point that I wish to convey, it is about my resolve that Japan is to take initiative in building a new prime mover or the new engine for the growth that would give hope for the future of the Japanese and the global economy. The key to this is the word green and digital, first about green. My administration declared last year that we go carbon neutral by 2050. Toward that goal, at the end of last year, we compiled our green growth strategy for which for each of the 14 priority sectors like ocean wind farms and hydrogen, we have set a high objective. By turning such objectives into reality by 2050, we would have the economic impact to the tune of 190 trillion yen and expect job creation for the 15 million people. Environmental measures are no longer economic constraint. Rather, they substantially transform the socioeconomic, generating robust growth. That is what Japan, ahead of other countries, would like to show to the world. The government will make an initial daring step forward, first step. We will totally mobilize all possible policy measures such as newly created two trillion yen fund and tax measures as well as a regulatory reform standardization and international collaboration all mobilized, thereby urging bold investment and innovation of private companies and generate transformation of industrial structures and robust growth. We will be supporting innovative technology developments such as low cost storage batteries and next generation photovoltaic power generation with all conceivable measures like two trillion yen fund. In order to accomplish carbon neutral goal, we must have decarbonization in the power sector. We will be moving forward decisive enhancement of renewable energy such as hydrogen and ocean wind farm. Regarding the electrified vehicles, by 2035, we will achieve 100% of electrified vehicles amongst the new passenger vehicle sales. And Japan will present an ambitious objective for 2030 before COP26. We will enhance the level of international collaboration through joint research, international standard setting, and infrastructure cooperation, etc. By so doing, we are resolved to advance world's decarbonization. And next comes the theme of digital, the pandemic exposed a multitude of challenges in the process of digitalization. Japan will accelerate and regain the delay in full steam in the process of digitalization. The digital nation is the state that we want to accomplish. The digital agency will be established as the command center directly reporting to me, the Prime Minister, and it will commence its activities and work this autumn. We will integrate and standardize local municipalities systems in five years looking toward the nationwide transition to cloud. We will support private businesses from tax system when they make investments for digitalization, ranging from the development of in-house software, production, distribution to marketing of those products. As we witness overheating international competition with 5Gs and 6Gs, we will endeavor to promote R&D with the private sector acting in unison with the government and work in international rulemaking of communication standards so that we can aim at becoming the front runner. Green and digital, very important policy measures. The technological prowess of Japan is supporting my goal. We will work with all our efforts so that Japan, a nation of science and technology, can lead the world with our innovation even in post-COVID era. We will work on nurturing young researchers, creating university funds to the tune of 10 trillion yen, reforming universities, among others, making the total amount of R&D investment to aim at 120 trillion yen so as to encourage and create proactively science and technology-induced innovation. In April, when cherry trees bloom in cooperation with the World Economic Forum, Global Technology Governance Summit will be held here in Tokyo. I hope that many leaders of the world including of course all of you participating tonight to take part in this summit and this can become a forum for finding answers to the challenges that the mankind in the digital era jointly faces. Thirdly, what I would like to convey to you is our unwavering commitment to free trade. Amidst the protectionistic moves due to COVID-19, Japan will exercise leadership in the efforts toward expanding free and fair economic areas and strengthening rules-based multilateral free trading system. Japan hitherto played the role of advocating free trade through measures such as signing in ARSEP and bringing Japan-UK EPA into force. Regarding TPP, as the presidency of this year, we shall lead the discussion not only limiting to market access issues but also looking toward a steady implementation and steady expansion of high-level TPP in terms of rules. Furthermore, while we continue to proactively work on WTO reform, we will show our leadership in realizing what we call free flow of data with trust through the e-commerce negotiation at WTO where we co-chair the debate. Through these efforts, in order to achieve regional and global prosperity, it is vital to enhance connectivity while realizing rules-based free and open order with maritime safety ensured. As one of the Indo-Pacific nations, Japan will collaborate with like-minded countries and promote strategically our efforts for making free and open Indo-Pacific concept a reality. For whichever infectious disease, there sure is going to come to an end. First and foremost, I will endeavor to bring this crisis to come to an end, and I want to build together with you who are participating today the future beyond that is full of hopes. This summer, Japan is going to host Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games. We are determined to deliver the games that would bring hopes and courage to the whole world as a testimony of the mankind prevailing over COVID-19 and as a symbol of the unity of the world. I appeal to you for your continued support and cooperation. Thank you very much for your kind attention. Thank you very much, Prime Minister, for your enlightening and encouraging vision for a green, digital, open and interconnected Japan. I appreciate it, particularly you're mentioning the Global Technology Governance Summit. It's so important for humankind to shape policies which allow us to use technology for good. Prime Minister, let me take this opportunity to follow up and ask you some questions. You mentioned at the beginning the Olympic Games. I'm looking very much forward to participate in the Olympic Games. But let me ask you, after success in fighting the virus over the past months, this month, you have declared a COVID state of emergency in the Tokyo larger area. What lessons have you learned from fighting this COVID virus? And what would you like to share with the world based on your lessons? Yes, it is true that we have learned many lessons in our battle against COVID-19. First of all, the importance of thorough implementation of basic countermeasures, including facial masks, washing hands and avoiding the three Cs, closed spaces, crowded places and closed contact settings. These are really basic countermeasures. But when each and every citizen implements these very basic measures, it could become the most powerful countermeasure. And secondly, the importance of cluster measures, counter cluster measures, 80% of those who have become positive do not infect others, but the remaining 20% of positive cases infect high number of people. So if we can control these 20%, we can prevent the spread of infection. We are dispatching experts to facilities where clusters of infection had emerged, and we are analyzing the causes to implement strong countermeasures. Three, we must control the risk of infection at places where food and beverage services are provided. According to experts, whilst there are various scenes in people's daily lives, the highest risk for infection emerges in places where food and beverage services are provided. So these facilities must be targeted to provide for countermeasures. In some parts of Japan, we have issued state of emergency declaration and robust countermeasures are in place. To all business owners, we did not request the suspension of business to all businesses. Rather, we targeted restaurants and bars and requested shortening their business hours with the season being winter. The number of new cases is still high in Japan, so we want to place the infection and COVID pandemic under control as quickly as possible to enable the people to regain a safe lifestyle. We are injecting outmost efforts for that purpose. Thank you. We see you are making all the efforts to have safe and healthy games. We see an emergence of new waves around the world. We see certain challenges related to vaccine access and distribution. How confident are you, if I may ask you directly, how confident are you to conduct those games and how can you ensure the world about the true safety and health of those games? I have to say, Prime Minister, we are in a similar situation because we are planning, as you know, our special annual meeting in Singapore just before the games. I have to say we are very confident that we can conduct our special meeting. But how confident are you? All our efforts for overcoming COVID-19, it sounds so natural. Regarding the Tokyo Games, Olympic and Paralympic Games, this is going to be the testimony of humankind prevailing over COVID-19. So we are resolved to deliver the games in safe and secure manner. Last year, I met with President Fak of IOC and we agreed about the delivery of Tokyo Games for sure. And we will continue to collaborate and cooperate very closely in order to realize safe and secure games. The infection countermeasures are of paramount importance. So we are in the process of studying the concrete substance and contents of what we can do about it. Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee and IOC. So there is a close collaboration between these three parties and preparation is going on suddenly looking toward the games. Thank you. Prime Minister, I'm sure that the millions of people who like sports, who practice sports are delighted to hear you and to hear your optimism and confidence, I should add. Let me ask you, Prime Minister, last question. You mentioned also in your speech, Japan has promoted multilateral diplomacy and has worked hard to maintain particularly a positive relationship across Asia and beyond. Given the COVID-19 crisis and general geopolitical instability, especially with U.S.-China tensions, what is your plan? How can you, Prime Minister, enhance international collaboration? Thank you very much. Japan attaches importance to multilateralism. We, together with the international community, will live up to the challenge of the global issues in order to realize a united world. The Japan-U.S. alliance is an axis of Japan's diplomacy and security policy. We will further strengthen our alliance with the United States under the Biden administration as well. We will also strengthen our partnership with countries with whom we share fundamental values including ASEAN, Australia, India, and European countries. We will take every possible opportunity available, such as the Japan-U.S.-Australia-India talks, to promote strategically the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific. At the same time, we will endeavor to establish a stable relationship with our neighboring countries, including China and Russia. With the COVID-19 pandemic, solidarity of the global community has become ever more important. So we will lead efforts in such areas as global health, realization of a green community, and digital transformation to create a post-corona order. Thank you. Thank you very much.