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Dear Friends of Harmony for Peace,

I extend my sincere compliments and best wishes to the Harmony For Peace Foundation on the occasion of their first charity concert in the United States. As the fi rst Japanese Prime Minister who was born after World War II, I belong to a whole generation whose knowledge of nuclear weaponry’s destructive force did not come from personal experience. In that sense, my generation is very fortunate, indeed.

Our generation, however, is faced with a challenge that is formidable in a broader sense: how to create a world free of nuclear arms while maintaining the fragile balance of infl uence among countries that do posses them.

My stance against nuclear proliferation in Asia and the rest of the world has not changed since I left the offi ce of Prime Minister. Neither has my wish to establish friendly relations with any country that desires cooperation with Japan and the community of nations. This position is reflected, and indeed strengthened, by the work of non-government organizations such as the Harmony For Peace Foundation. Through this multinational charity concert, the Foundation is showing the world the possibilities of united action.

I encourage other world leaders as well as all people of the world to support the Foundation’s vision of peace through nuclear disarmament. It is about time, now more than ever.

Sincerely,

Shinzo Abe

Prime Minister of Japan, 2006-2007