noun
introductory remarks; prefatory speech
Used for a short speech or remarks given before the main event, such as at a ceremony, performance, or meeting.
開会にあたり、簡単な前口上を述べさせていただきます。
At the opening, allow me to make a few introductory remarks.
前置き is more common and casual for a preliminary remark or preface in conversation, while 前口上 is more formal and often used for ceremonial or public speaking contexts.
Compound of 前 (mae, 'before') and 口上 (kōjō, 'oral statement, speech'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since at least the Edo period for formal introductory speeches.