The President's Toast at a Dinner in Honor of Prime Minister Sato

Mr. Prime Minister, His Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs, our own beloved Secretary of State, Mr. Rusk, distinguished guests:

I am proud this evening to welcome to this house of the American people the distinguished new leader of our historic friends, our valued allies, and our vigorous partners, the people of Japan.

The Prime Minister and I have found many personal interests and experiences in common today during the productive conversations that we have had.

We both come from the southwestern regions of our countries.

We both talk about the beef that's produced in our native sections.

We both have been privileged to work closely with the science and space programs of our respective countries. And we both agreed that if there is any more mountain climbing to be done we will let Secretary Udall do it for both of us--as he has done so gracefully in Japan as well as in the western United States.

More seriously, in these important meetings the distinguished Prime Minister and I find ourselves starting together on a new year and a new time of opportunity in our respective lands. We both share the hope and the determination that these shall be times of closer cooperation and understanding between our two countries, the United States and Japan.

The distances of the Pacific are long but for us the bonds of the Pacific community are strong. Within that vast community now, there are trials and tests for freedom-as there are wherever freedom stands. But we of the United States live with the abiding conviction that the destiny of the Pacific is peace and freedom--and we are resolutely determined that destiny shall be fulfilled.

Over the last two decades, Mr. Prime Minister, Japan has won the respect of all the world by unsurpassed feats of national development under a free and democratic system. Modern Japan is a bright beacon for the forces of human progress and dignity throughout Asia. So, tonight we proudly salute you and salute your people for all that they have wrought.

Your country and our country have each achieved a level of success and affluence which permits us to answer the opportunity and the challenges of greater works for the good of all mankind. So we look forward to laboring with you jointly in many such endeavors.

Your people--and ours--are inventive and creative. I hope that we may mutually profit from these traits as we work closely together to make the world a better place through technology, a more beautiful place through the arts, and a more rational place through the quest for truth by unfettered minds.

Mr. Prime Minister, may I express to you tonight one personal interest and hope that I have for the future. Your land and mine are both blessed by significant capacity and success in the fields of health. I would express the hope tonight that we may together initiate new and expanded cooperation between the United States and Japan to contribute to the health problems of all of Asia. I have my science adviser, the Science Adviser to the President, working tonight with some of our leading scientists so that tomorrow in our discussions we can pursue this idea further. I believe that such mutual effort for the good of mankind would be a most fitting expression of the spirit of the relations between our lands and between our peoples.

These next years can be rich and rewarding for all the Pacific family of man--East and West--if peace can only come to the pacific peoples.

The United States stands steadfast in support of those peoples of the Pacific who are themselves steadfast in defense of their own freedom.

As we have sought to be in other communities of which we are part, we of the United States seek now in the Pacific only to be a force for peace and only to be a source of strength for freedom. In this pursuit, we welcome the partnership that we share with you and we are grateful for the strength that your success adds to our great common cause.

Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to join me tonight in a toast to the Sovereign whose distinguished Prime Minister we warmly welcome this evening. Ladies and gentlemen, the Emperor of Japan.