Japanese cross-party lawmakers visit Taiwan to promote deeper cooperation between Taiwan and Japan and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait

A visiting delegation from the "Meeting of Diet Members Reflecting on Peace and Stability in the Taiwan Strait", a cross-party group of the Japanese Diet, met with President Lai Ching-te yesterday. Haruo Kitamura, a Japanese conservative senator and leader of the visiting delegation, said that he will promote the formulation of the Japanese version of the Taiwan Travel Law, the Taiwan Relations Law and various defense cooperation. He will actively fight for the Japanese government and make every effort to realize the expectations of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, establish a strong relationship with Taiwan, and promote peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The visiting guests also included Japanese Senators Yoshihiko Yamada, Ishihira, Mizuho Umemura, Representatives Karu Nishida, Mitsuhiro Yokota, Keie Miki, etc.

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Lai Ching-te said that the "Members of Parliament Thinking About Peace and Stability in the Taiwan Strait" was established in mid-June this year. In less than three months, they took concrete visits to Taiwan to express their strong concern and support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. It is admirable. He believes that the establishment of the meeting will increase the Japanese Parliament's attention to the situation in the Taiwan Strait, help find the best strategy to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and realize former Prime Minister Abe's vision of a "free and open Indo-Pacific."

Lai Ching-te pointed out that in the face of China’s continuous use of military operations, gray zone intrusions, and cross-border repression to raise tensions in the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, and South China Sea and undermine regional peace and stability through compound threats, democratic countries around the world, including Taiwan and Japan, can only protect the democracy, peace, and prosperity that we rely on by uniting and working together, continuing to improve their defense capabilities, and jointly exerting deterrence.

Lai Ching-te said that he very much looks forward to Taiwan and Japan strengthening cooperation in the fields of national strategy, economic and trade security, high-tech industries and strengthening social resilience in the future, especially in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, drones and robots.

Kitamura Haruo said that the important purpose of this trip is to turn Taiwan-Japan friendship into practical actions and continue to promote the development of bilateral relations. Taiwan is a close friend of Japan. He hopes that the people of Japan and Taiwan can once again appreciate each other's deep friendship and keep it in their hearts. He mentioned that during the Great East Japan Earthquake, Taiwan immediately sent a disaster relief team, and the government and private sector raised 25 billion yen in disaster relief donations. No other country in the world could do this; if Taiwan, its close friend, faces danger, Japan will do its best to face it together.

Kitamura Haruo believes that more importantly, Japan and the Japanese people must continue to show the world their full support and determination to defend their friends in crisis. He believes that by showing such determination, it will help resolve the crisis. Practical actions will also be taken in the future, including promoting the formulation of a Japanese version of the Taiwan Travel Law and the Taiwan Relations Law, promoting exchanges between high-level government officials from both sides, and promoting various defense cooperation.

Kitamura Haruo said that although the power of each member of Congress may be limited, he will hold firm determination, unite more like-minded people, actively fight for the Japanese government, and do his best to realize the expectations of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, establish a strong relationship with Taiwan, and promote peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also hopes that Taiwan and Japan will work together to jointly create the country's future.