Tokyo, Japan
Remarks on Arrival at Haneda International Airport.
July 9, 1980

As President of the United States, I am both honored and saddened to return to Japan on this solemn occasion. Prime Minister Ohira was a good friend and a wise counselor. I valued his advice, and I admired his statesmanship. All Americans deeply appreciated his cooperation, and particularly in recent months as we have worked together to meet difficult challenges to world stability and peace.

I have come to Japan to convey my personal condolences to Mrs. Ohira and her family, to the Prime Minister’s friends and colleagues, and to the people of Japan. I hope that my visit will also be understood as an expression of the deep friendship and respect felt by the American people for your great nation.

Prime Minister Ohira and I always believed that our personal friendship was a symbol of the firm bonds between our two nations. We worked together to strengthen our peoples’ enduring ties of mutual respect, common interests throughout the world, and of shared values of democracy and freedom for individuals and for nations. Prime Minister Ohira’s leadership will be sorely missed, but because of his many contributions, the relationship between the United States and Japan will continue to grow.

When Prime Minister Ohira visited the United States last year he said, and I quote his words, "I am eager to work to make the American-Japanese partnership a more powerful and productive force for the progress of the world community toward a more stable peace and a more widely shared prosperity for all." With these words, he spoke for both of us and for both our peoples.

In this spirit, I bring to Japan today my personal condolences and the sincere respect of the United States of America. Thank you very much.

NOTE: The President spoke at 12:18 p.m. He then went to the residence of Michael J. Mansfield, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, where he stayed during his visit in Tokyo.

Later in the afternoon, the President attended a memorial service for former Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira at the Budokan. Following the service, he met with Emperor Hirohito at the Imperial Palace and, later, with Acting Prime Minister Masayoshi Ito at the Akasaka Palace. While at the Akasaka Palace, the President also attended a reception for the foreign dignitaries who had attended the memorial service.

In the evening, the President met with Mrs. Ohira and members of her family at their home in Tokyo.