beyond economic benefits. it is also about our security. long-term, it's strategic value. no one should ever forget that ppp covers an area that accounts for 40% of our economy and 1/3rd of global sales. we must turn the area into a region for lasting peace and prosperity. that is for the sake of our children and our children's children. as for u.s.-japan negotiations, the goal is near. let us bring the ppp to successful conclusion through

our joint leadership. [applause] prime minister abe: as a matter of fact, i have something i can tell you now. it was about 2--0 years ago, i was much younger. things were going wrong. i opposed to opening japan's agricultural market. i even joined some represented atives in the rally in front of parliament. however, japan's agriculture has

gone into decline over these last 20 years. the average age of our farmers has gone up by 10 years. and is now more than 66 years old. japan's agriculture is at the crossroads. in order for it to survive, it has to change now. [applause] prime minister abe: we are brining great reforms towards agriculture that have been in place for decades. we are also bringing sweeping

reforms to our agricultural operatives that have not changed in 60 long years. corporate governance in japan is now fully in line with global standards, because we made it stronger. rocksolid relations are being broken in some sectors of medicine and energy. i am determined to do whatever it takes. we are changing some of our old

habits to empower women so they can get -- [applause] prime minister abe: thank you. [applause] prime minister abe: to empower women so they can get more actively engaged in all walks of life. in short japan is right in the middle of a quantum leap. my dear members of the congress, please do come and see the new

japan, where we have regained our sense of reform and our sense of speed. [applause] prime minister abe: japan will not run away from any reforms. we keep our eye only on the road ahead and push forward with structural reform. there is no alternative, and there is no doubt about it whatsoever. [applause] prime minister abe: my dear colleagues, the peace and security of the post-war world

was not possible without american leadership. looking back, it made me happy all the time that japan of years past made the right decisions. as i told you at outset, citing my grandfather, that decision was to choose a path. that is the path for japan to ally itself with the u.s. and to go forward with the rest of the western world. together with the u.s. and other like-minded democracies, we want the cold --

prime minister abe: that is the path. grow and prosper. and even today there is no alternative. my dear colleagues, we support advancing of u.s. enhance the peace and security of the asia-pacific region. i will stand clearly, we will support the u.s. depots, first last, and throughout. [applause]

prime minister abe: japan has deepend its strategic relations with india. we are enhancing our appropriation across many views. also the republic of korea. having those partners as a central pillar, that is the u.s.-japan alliance. our alliance, our region, will be remarkably stable. japan provides up to $2.8

billion to help improve relations in guam, which will plate strategic significance even more in the future. the state of asian waters -- let me underscore here my three principles. first, states shall make their claim based on international law. second they shall not use force or coercion to back their claim. and third, to settle disputes, any disputes, they shall do so by peaceful means.

[applause] prime minister abe: we must make the vast seas stretching from the pacific to the indian oceans seas of peace anfd freedom. we are all for the rule of law. for that very reason, we must fortify the u.s.-japan alliance. that is our responsibility. [applause] prime minister abe: now, let me

tell you, in japan we are working hard to enhance the legislative foundations of our security. once in place, japan will be much more able to provide immediate response for all neighbors of crisis. these enhance legislative foundations should make the cooperation between the u.s. military and japan's defense potent and ever stronger. the alliance ever more solid providing credible intelligence for the peace in the region.

we will achieve this this coming summer. [applause] prime minister abe: now, i have something to share with you. the day before yesterday secretary kerry and carter met are for t our foreign ministers for consultation. as a result, we now have a new free market. a free market to better put together the forces of the u.s. and japan. a framework that is in line with

a legislative attempt going on in japan. it is nothing but necessary to build peace reliable peace in the region. [applause] yesterday, president obama and i agreed on the signifigance of these guidelines. ladies and gentlemen, we agreed on a document that is historic. [applause] in the early 1990's, i