We now have an explosion of new trade and investment incentives - currently 15 under implementation, close to 10 signed, more than 20 under negotiation and at least 16 more proposed.

as I have always said, it is desirable for dollar-yen rates to trade in a stable manner.

Our region’s accomplishments in reducing income poverty are now well recognized, but an immense task lies ahead of us,

Minister Miyazawa told me that Japan's foreign exchange policy was unchanged, and that excessive weakness of the yen was undesirable for the Japanese economy as well as for the Asian and world economy,

This is clearly the worst natural disaster in Pakistan's recent history. The images of ordinary citizens pulling friends and neighbors from the rubble will remain indelibly etched in our minds.

The scale of the catastrophe is stunning.