Your Excellency, Mr. Jorge B. Vargas, Philippine Ambassador, and gentlemen:
Just a year has passed since the Republic of the Philippines declared her independence, realizing the long-cherished aspiration of her people. It is my great honour to have been invited by His Excellency Mr. Vargas, Philippine Ambassador, to the banquet held in celebration of this significant occasion, and to have an opportunity to say a few words of thanks on behalf of the gentlemen who are here present.
I believe the host is full of emotion to celebrate this first anniversary of the independence of his country, together with the representatives of greater East Asiatic countries and Axis countries assembled in this hall in the heart of the capital of Japan.
The complete independence, attained by the Philippines this day last year, was the fruit of indefatigable efforts of her people for some centuries past. Indeed, her independence has been won through the shedding of blood by her national heroes such as Rizal and Bonifacio etc., and also by the titanic struggle of her contemporary leaders as well as her people. Above all, the glorious name of His Excellency President Laurel who is exerting himself to the utmost in leading the eighteen million people as the first President of the newly-born Republic of the Philippines, will surely go down in history as long as, nay, even longer than, that of patriotic martyrs at the time of the Spanish-American War.
As to the part played by His Excellency Ambassador Vargas, he assumed the heavy responsibility as the Chairman of the Executive Commission immediately after the expulsion of the American power by the Japanese forces, and devoted himself to the maintenance of order and to the reconstruction of national life, while the ravage of war till remained in the country. Thus he rendered meritorious services in laying the foundation of his country's independence. I can well imagine the deep emotion which His Excellency, looking back on the past, now entertains holding the celebration as the representative of the Republic of the Philippines.
Just as the independence of the Republic of the Philippines has been achieved, as I have said, by the tremendous endeavours of her past and present generations, so will her future progress depend on the shoulders of her youths. I am convinced that they have the blood of their patriotic ancestors in their veins, and have the determination and courage to offer their lives for the future development of their country. It is my greatest pleasure to find their representative in Mr. Vargas, junior, who has now interpreted his father's speech in excellent Japanese. I feel all the more confident that we may place great hopes in the future of the new Republic.
His Excellency has been good enough to emphasize that Japan gave assistance to the independence of the Philippines in a selfless spirit. It is with pride and satisfaction that we think of the part Japan played in expelling the power of aggression and exploitation from the Philippines and thereby contributed to the noble task of attaining her long-cherished independence.
The enemy has recently been attempting to make a wanton attack on the Philippines and deprive her of independence. To safeguard her independence against such actions, she was at last forced to declare war on America and Britain on September 23. You are all aware that since her independence, nay, since the days of the Executive Commission, the people of the Philippines, being resolved to accomplish the mission of reviving East Asia in co-operation with Japan, have spared no efforts for the sake of the successful prosecution of the war of greater East Asia.
Particularly, since the declaration of war, their determination to prosecute the war has been more firmly established, and their defence structure has been further strengthened. Through His Excellency, the Ambassador, I wish to assure the people of the Philippines that Japan, on her part, is firmly resolved to defend, with Japan's own strength, the soil of the Philippines and her independence, and at the same time to render her every possible assistance both material and spiritual on the basis of the Treaty of Alliance between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines. I feel sure that the free Republic of the Philippines will thus be brought into perfection and that she will, in collaboration with other East Asiatic countries, work for the revival of East Asia and for the literal realization of the ideals of the Declaration of Greater East Asiatic Nations throughout the world.
In conclusion, I should like to ask the distinguished guests of this evening to raise their glasses for the prosperity of our ally, the Republic of the Philippines, and the good health of His Excellency Ambassador Vargas.