Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) met with Japan’s new representative to Taiwan Kazuyuki Katayama on Wednesday and expressed his hopes for stronger bilateral ties.
Lai says that Katayama has a deep understanding of Taiwan and hopes that people-to-people exchanges between Taiwan and Japan can return to pre-pandemic levels or even surpass them.
On the economic front, Lai mentioned how Taiwan and Japan have complementary economies and highlighted the recent bilateral investments in the semiconductor industry as an example. Lai added that in responding to climate change, similar efforts can be made in the development of green energy, creating a win-win scenario for both parties.
In the face of the challenges occurring in the Indo-Pacific region, Lai also thanked Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for stating at the G7 Summit that Taiwan’s security is a global concern. Lai says that the G7 joint statement also expressed opposition to any attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force, and reiterated support for peace and stability in the region as a necessary element for world security and prosperity.
In a speech, Katayama said that aside from being important economic partners, Japan and Taiwan share common values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Katayama says that he will work to continue deepening exchanges between the two countries.