Prime Minister Kishida, in his speech at the graduation ceremony of the National Defense Academy, stated that Russia's invasion of Ukraine must be stopped as soon as possible, and emphasized that as the chair of the G7 = seven major countries, he would like to show his determination to fully protect the international order based on the rule of law at the Hiroshima Summit in May.
Regarding his recent visit to Ukraine, Prime Minister Kishida stated, "I witnessed the tragedy of Russia's aggression firsthand, and I renewed my determination to stop the invasion as soon as possible in order to prevent a recurrence of it."
"As the G7 chair country, I would like to show my determination to lead the unity of the G5 and fully uphold the international order based on the rule of law through opportunities such as the Hiroshima Summit in May."
On the other hand, Prime Minister Kishida stated that "harassment shakes the very foundation of the SDF, and I would like all of you, who are the core of the SDF, to be aware of this, in light of the successive cases of harassment within the SDF organization."
This year, 446 graduates of the National Defense Academy declined their commissions, 26 fewer than last year, of which 46 declined their duties because they wanted to work for private companies.
The National Defense Academy has not allowed students who declined their commission to participate in graduation ceremonies since the 25th academic year, but from this time onwards, they are allowed to participate.