 They must have turned those lights on for something, man. Mr. Prime Minister, Mrs. Nakasone, we are again honored to have you visit our home. One of the joys of this high office has afforded Nancy and me has been the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with you. We cherish your visits here and our travels to Japan. We remember sharing many moments, sitting with you in a tranquil setting, sharing personal thoughts and feelings. We also remember attending an astounding archery exhibition as your guests. Men on horseback in full traditional armor with bow and arrow hit their target with precision at full gallop. Now, I'm keenly aware of how difficult it is to control a horse in such a show. I was doing a picture once called Santa Fe Trail. I was playing General Custer when he was a lieutenant. And the scene called for me to ride up until the horse's head was practically over the mouth of a cannon. And then I was to shout and order and so forth and carry on from there. But at the same time, the director had ordered them to shoot the cannon. When I got the horse stopped, we were about a quarter of a mile away and had knocked down 16 reflectors that were supposed to be shooting sunlight onto the scene. And we could not get the horse back closer than 200 yards to the cannon. But our pride in horsemanship is only one example of the many cultural similarities between our peoples. Certainly in each comparison, there are differences. Yet one cannot help but be struck by the likeness of our two peoples. Their achievers, their goal-oriented builders, tenacious people. One individual who personified these traits was a remarkable citizen of your country who climbed the highest peaks on six continents. He floated down the Amazon River on a Baltic raft. And he was the first person to do a solo journey to the North Pole. His name was Naomi Weymura. Who said, after one amazing feat, for me, an end is just the beginning. Well, never afraid to try, he said, I always want to know the limits of human endurance or the limits of my own potential. On February 12, 1984, his 43rd birthday, he became the only climber to make a solo climb of Mount McKinley's 20,320-foot peak in midwinter and only days later, Naomi Weymura lost his life. I cannot help but think that the message of this unique individual is something that touches the soul of both our peoples and should guide us in our dealings. Let us not be afraid to take our relationship to its utmost potential. Let us realize that every goal-relief we reach is just a beginning of the next challenge. Prime Minister Nakasone and I had forthright and productive discussions today. We, in a way, are also explorers, traversing uncharted paths and pushing on to achieve new goals and reaching for new heights. And unlike Mr. Weymura, we do not travel alone. The American and Japanese people will climb this mountain together and will not only survive but triumph. And so I ask you now, do all join me in a toast to Prime Minister and Mrs. Nakasone and to the people of Japan, all our friends. Mr. President, Mrs. Reagan, and his distinguished guests, representing the Japanese people, my wife and I should like to thank you, Mr. President, for your invitation to visit the United States for this magnificent banquet and for your heartwarming words of greeting. In the late autumn of 1983, you came to Japan with Mrs. Reagan as a state guest during the time of the full splendor of the autumn blaze and glory of the chrysanthemum. And with your own personality, you capture the hearts of the Japanese people. Three and a half years later, it is a great honor for me to make this official visit to the United States when spring fragrances are in the air. From the day I first met you in January 1983, Mr. President, I have held a deep respect for you as a statesman and I have felt an abiding friendship for you as a friend with whom I can open my heart. As I told you at that time, you are indeed a man of strong convictions dedicated to peace. Since then, you have consistently responded to my expectations and you have always demonstrated unwavering belief in the essential importance of the relationship between Japan and the United States. As one who completely shares your belief, I have tried to do my part with all my sincerity and energy. I believe the friendship between the two of us has added not just to the happiness of our two peoples, but also to the solidarity of the West and to the foundation of world peace and prosperity. To you, Mrs. Reagan, I wish to express my profound admiration for the great achievements in your many activities, for the happiness of future generations of Americans and others around the world, including the fight against drug abuse on an international scale. Mr. President, in this year, when America celebrates the 200th anniversary of its constitution, I feel a special honor in visiting this historic White House. The history of Japanese-American relations extending back over 130 years to the time of Komodo Perry shows that contact between Eastern and Western civilization can produce abundant riches. Yes, ours has also been a history of overcoming difficulties and surmounting crises. But Americans and Japanese can find great happiness in the fact that we have learned from our history and have built between us a foundation of unshakable friendship and goodwill, sharing a devotion to freedom and democracy as a national ideal and as the guiding light in our daily lives. Mr. President, the Imperial Highnesses, the Crown Prince, and the Princess have accepted your invitation and will visit the United States in early October this year. I firmly believe that the Japanese and American people will continue to continue to work together and continue to work together. Mr. President, the Imperial Highnesses, the Crown Prince, and the Princess have accepted your invitation and these American peoples will celebrate their visit as a historic event, symbolizing the friendship and goodwill between Japan and the United States, a relationship with a long future ahead of it. As His Majesty the Emperor stated at a banquet here in the White House in October 1975, the Japanese people will never forget the friendship and support we received from the American people following that most unfortunate war at a time of extreme need. I am resolved. It is a responsibility of our generation to work together and continue to work together and continue to work together. I am resolved, it is the responsibility of our generation to work continuously and steadfastly to solve the occasional problems between us and to strengthen the foundations of Japanese American friendship. By doing so, we must ensure that the coming generations of Japanese will long appreciate the generosity and goodwill of the American people and that the next generation of Americans will long appreciate the goodwill and genuine desire of the Japanese people to be good neighbors. Mr. President, on behalf of the people of Japan, I should like to propose a toast to the continued good health of you and Mrs. Reagan and to the prosperity of the American people who are true friends of the Japanese people.