"Since ancient times, people from throughout Asia have brought to Japan their talents, knowledge and energy, helping to lay the basis for Japan's existence as a country."

"A healthy vision of the future is not possible without an accurate knowledge of the past."

"Genuine happiness can only be achieved when we transform our way of life from the unthinking pursuit of pleasure to one committed to enriching our inner lives, when we focus on 'being more' rather than simply having more."

"In the past, human society provided encouragement and opportunity for people to extend support to each other, especially in highly stressful situations."

"Politics I supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."

"We human beings do a lot of dumb things, and war is certainly the dumbest."

"It is a unyielding truth that the present moment is the only sanctuary where peace truly resides — an essential principle for the reflective life."

"My constant prayer, my number one foreign goal, is to bring peace to Israel. And in the process to Israel's neighbours."