Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on August 14 that he will not run for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election in September. In response, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Tsai Ing-wen expressed gratitude for Kishida’s steadfast support for Taiwan during his tenure. Kishida, on August 17, expressed his gratitude for the warm support from Taiwan and believes that the bond between Japan and Taiwan will deepen in the future.
In a post on a social media platform in both Chinese and Japanese, Kishida stated, “I am grateful for the warm support from Taiwan. For Japan, Taiwan is an extremely important partner with shared fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and also an important friend. I believe that the bond between Japan and Taiwan will continue to deepen.”
Kishida dropped a bombshell on the morning of the 14th by announcing that he will not run for re-election as the leader of the ruling LDP, indicating that the next Japanese Prime Minister will be someone else.
President Tsai Ing-wen posted on social media on the 14th, stating that under Kishida’s leadership, the Taiwan-Japan relationship has continued to grow and deepen. She expressed gratitude for Kishida’s steadfast support for Taiwan during his tenure and reiterated the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as the Indo-Pacific vision of freedom and openness. She hopes that the friendship between Taiwan and Japan will reach new heights as both sides face global strategic challenges together in pursuit of democracy and prosperity.
On the same day, US President Joe Biden issued a statement praising Kishida’s leadership as historically significant. He commended Kishida for jointly promoting the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision, pushing the US-Japan alliance to new heights. Regarding Ukraine, which is under Russian aggression, the cooperation between the US, Japan, and South Korea has been strengthened.
Biden pointed out that Kishida’s steadfast courage and clear moral guidance have brought about change in Japan’s role in the world. Biden said, “In the coming decades, both sides of the Pacific will remember Kishida’s brave leadership. I am lucky to be his friend.”
Biden also stated, “Thanks to Kishida’s leadership, the future of the US-Japan alliance is stronger and brighter than ever before.”
In response, on the evening of the 15th, Kishida posted in English and Japanese on a social media platform, “I am very grateful for the warm support. The US and Japan will further develop into strong and powerful global partners. My true friend Joe, thank you.”
(Source: Central News Agency)