Telephone Remarks With Prime Minister Ikeda of Japan Inaugurating the Trans-Pacific Cable.

Note: The President spoke at 10 p.m. from the Fish Room at the White House. Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda responded as follows:

Thank you very much for your gracious message, Mr. President, which I just listened to on this newly installed means of communication.

Today, the trans-Pacific cable for which both Japan and the United States have long yearned is successfully opened. We can indeed congratulate ourselves for this achievement. In behalf of the people and Government of Japan, I should like to express my heartfelt felicitation to you, Mr. President, and to the people of the United States.

The rapid progress made in the field of science and technology has brought about revolutionary changes in the field of electric telecommunications. The role such changes has played in the advancement of man's well-being is immeasurable.

In political, economic, cultural, and other areas of our endeavors, the relations between Japan and the United States have become closer than ever. This newly created physical bond across the Pacific, in addition to the recent development in the satellite communications, will enable our peoples even more to deepen our mutual understandings and encourage our cooperative works.

The fact that we can now exchange our voices between Tokyo and Washington more clearly and speedily than ever will benefit greatly not only the relations between Japan and the United States but also our common effort to achieve peace and prosperity in the world.

Mr. President, we deeply appreciate the sympathy you and the people of your country have extended to us on the earthquake disaster in northwest Japan.

Being grateful to share with you, Mr. President, the privilege of being the first user of this cable, I should like to extend on this occasion my greetings to you, Mr. President, and to convey the deep feelings of friendship and good wishes of the Japanese people to the people of the United States.