Just a month after Star Trek made a surprise appearance at a major NATO ceremony, the franchise is once again finding itself on the world stage. This time it was due to the Prime Minister of Japan, who used Star Trek as part of his toast at a state dinner in his honor.
Japan’s PM boldly goes there
On Wednesday night, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was President Biden’s honored guest at a state dinner at the White House. Both leaders shared toasts as per diplomatic custom but Kishida surprised the crowd by taking them on a trip to the final frontier. He concluded his speech with:
“We are now standing at a turning point in history, embarking on a new frontier, and elevate this unshakable Japan-US relationship to even greater heights and hand it to the next generation. Finally, let me be conclude with a line from Star Trek, which you all know: To boldly go where no one has gone before.”
The Prime Minister then offered his toast:
“Mr. President, Dr. Biden, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to propose a toast to our voyage to the frontier of the Japan-US relationship with this word: Boldly go.”
You can watch the moment below in a video from Forbes.
Kishida’s speech had mentioned that many Japanese immigrants came to the United States from Hiroshima and after he mentioned Star Trek, he noted “By the way, George Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu, the helmsman of the USS Enterprise, also has roots in Hiroshima.”
The Japanese Prime Minister’s comments made big news around the world with headlines like AP’s “Kishida cracks jokes and invokes ‘Star Trek’ as he and Biden toast US-Japan alliance at state dinner,” the UK’s Daily Mail with “To boldly Joe! Japan’s prime minister quotes Star Trek as he hails Tokyo’s alliance with the US during glamorous, star-studded White House state dinner,” and “‘Boldly go’: Prime Minister Kishida quotes Star Trek in a toast to US-Japan alliance” in the Times of India.
Presidential Trek
This is not President Biden’s first brush with Star Trek. During the 2020 election, his campaign hosted a “Trek the Vote” fundraiser featuring several Trek celebrities. And in 2022 the White House issued a statement from the president on the passing of Nichelle Nichols which noted her “groundbreaking portrayal of Lt. Uhura in the original Star Trek.” Nichols had visited the White House when Joe Biden was Vice President to meet with President Obama in 2012. Obama is an avowed Trek fan who screened the 2009 Star Trek movie at the White House.
Nichelle Nichols with President Obama in 2012.
It’s a pleasure to see leaders invoking Trek in a warm and optimistic way.
That dude is so wasted. 🤣
Bill Clinton also invited the audience to “join me on a bold new adventure” in his acceptance speech at the 1992 Democratic National Convention. Hillary has spoken approvingly of Mulgrew’s role as Janeway as well.