Kumamoto Prefecture Governor Kimura paid a visit to Taiwan and thanked all walks of life in Taiwan for donating more than 300 million yuan to the earthquake disaster

After the Kumamoto earthquake on July 28, all walks of life in my country donated more than NT$300 million to Kumamoto. On the 6th, Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture Governor Kei Kimura and Prefectural Assembly Speaker Yuki Uchino visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with Minister "Kumamon" and thanked all walks of life in Taiwan for their immediate help.

Kimura Kei expressed his gratitude to all walks of life in Taiwan for their timely helping hand after the earthquake. He also expressed that he and Yuki Uchino are visiting Taiwan this time and hope to express his gratitude to all walks of life in Taiwan in person. The people of Taiwan enthusiastically donated money, bringing warm and valuable support to Kumamoto’s post-disaster reconstruction. Kumamoto is currently using its past experience in disaster prevention and reconstruction to accelerate post-disaster recovery.

Kimura Keiya pointed out that with the establishment of TSMC in Kumamoto, the relationship between Taiwan and Kumamoto has never been closer. There are currently direct flights between Kumamoto and Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, which facilitates exchanges between the two parties. Kumamoto Prefecture is also promoting special products in Taiwan that use local ingredients such as fresh milk and wheat from Kumamoto, allowing Taiwanese people to enjoy the flavor of Kumamoto while taking practical actions to support the recovery of local industries and post-disaster reconstruction. Taiwanese people are welcome to take direct flights to Kumamoto to taste fresh local food and feel the customs of the country.

Zhen Guoqing, Director-General Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met with Kimura Kei and Uchino Yuki on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and expressed his deep condolences for the disaster caused by the Kumamoto earthquake in July this year; he wished that the Kumamoto reconstruction project went smoothly and that the affected people could return to normal life as soon as possible. '}

Zhen Guoqing said that Taiwan and Japan also face frequent natural disasters and feel the pain suffered by the Japanese people. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have always assisted each other as soon as possible during major disasters, fully demonstrating the deep friendship of "a friend in need is a friend indeed".

Zhen Guoqing explained that donations from all walks of life in Taiwan for the Kumamoto earthquake have exceeded NT$300 million, demonstrating the Taiwanese people's care and support for Kumamoto and conveying the firm intention that "when Japan needs help, Taiwan will never be absent."

Zhen Guoqing also mentioned that the World Alliance for Disaster Management (WADM) was established in September this year, with the participation of Japanese friends. Taiwan hopes to use its accumulated experience in disaster prevention and relief to deepen exchanges and cooperation with Japan and partners from various countries to contribute to global disaster prevention and relief efforts.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that local exchanges between Taiwan and Japan have become increasingly close in recent years. Kumamoto Prefecture currently has 16 local governments that have concluded sister city or friendly exchange relations with local governments in my country, ranking first among all prefectures in Japan, demonstrating the profound foundation of local exchanges between the two sides. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hopes that Taiwan and Japan will continue to work together to deepen cooperation in the fields of industry, tourism, culture, local exchanges, and disaster prevention and relief, enhance the well-being of the people of the two places, and further consolidate the friendly partnership between Taiwan and Japan.