THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release                       April 28, 2015

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA

AND PRIME MINISTER ABE OF JAPAN

AT ARRIVAL CEREMONY

South Lawn

9:21 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning.  Ohayo gozaimasu!  (Applause.)  On behalf of the American people, and Michelle and myself, it is a great honor for me to welcome Prime Minister Abe and Mrs. Abe of Japan -- one of America's closest allies in the world. 

Across Japan over the coming days, our Japanese friends are marking special holidays -- honoring their history, celebrating their constitution, giving gratitude for nature's beauty, and expressing their hopes for their children.  Now, with this visit, it is a truly Golden Week.   

For Michelle and myself, this is an opportunity to return the hospitality that Shinzo, Akie and the Japanese people have shown us in the past.  In Kyoto, Michelle had the honor of playing taiko drums.  In Tokyo, I played soccer with ASIMO the robot.  (Laughter.)