On October 11, 2024, President of the Republic of China, Lai Ching-te, hosted a luncheon for the “Japanese Parliamentary Congratulatory Delegation” to express gratitude for Japan’s strong support for Taiwan and to hope for even closer cooperation and increased people-to-people exchanges between Taiwan and Japan under the leadership of Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru.
President Lai Ching-te expressed his gratitude to the leader of the “Japanese Parliamentary Congratulatory Delegation,” former Japanese Senate President Shindo Akiko, for visiting Taiwan and extending congratulations on the National Day of the Republic of China. In order to welcome their best friends from Japan, a special luncheon was held at the Presidential Office to thank everyone for their support.
“In times of joy, natural disasters, or sorrow, Taiwan and Japan always stand together, showcasing the strongest and most robust friendship between the two nations. Especially during Japan’s busy time of parliamentary elections and political activities, the presence of the delegation despite their busy schedules is truly moving,” stated President Lai Ching-te.
President Lai Ching-te expressed hope that upon their return, the members of the delegation would convey his gratitude to former Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and his team for their unwavering support for Taiwan during his term. He emphasized that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential elements for global prosperity and peace, greatly benefiting the morale and spirits of the Taiwanese people.
President Lai Ching-te also extended his best wishes for Japan under the leadership of Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, hoping for national prosperity, economic growth, and people’s well-being. He further anticipated that the friendship between Taiwan and Japan would continue to strengthen, cooperation deepen, and people-to-people exchanges increase in the future.
During her speech, Senator Shindo Akiko expressed her gratitude to President Lai for hosting the delegation amidst the busy National Day celebrations, and mentioned her intention to convey the President’s greetings to former Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru upon their return to Japan.
Senator Shindo Akiko reiterated the importance of the deep friendship between Taiwan and Japan, emphasizing the need to strengthen this bond despite the dynamic political landscape in Japan. She highlighted the significance of personal visits such as attending the National Day celebrations in Taiwan to enhance the profound friendship between the two nations. She also expressed condolences for the impact of Typhoon Sandor last week and hoped for the swift recovery of the affected individuals.
Senator Shindo Akiko pointed out that regardless of the internal political changes in Japan, the friendship between Taiwan and Japan remains unwavering. Both sides will continue to work hard to maintain this solid relationship, cooperate mutually, and promote prosperity and peace in the Indo-Pacific region.
To further advance the Taiwan-Japan relationship, the “Nichi-Hwa-Ken” delegation visited Taiwan in May this year, setting up four research groups, including the “CPTPP Study Group,” “Female Parliamentarians Exchange Group,” “Local Exchange Promotion Group,” and “Taiwan Relations Act Investigation Group.” It is hoped that through forward-thinking planning, these groups will pave the way for the future development of Taiwan-Japan relations and achieve tangible results gradually.
Senator Shindo Akiko emphasized that Japan will continue to deepen its friendly relations with Taiwan, safeguard democracy and freedom together, and move forward hand in hand with peace as the guiding principle.
The “Japanese Parliamentary Congratulatory Delegation” also included Senators Yamamoto Junzo, Taki Namihiro, Wada Masamune, Umemura Mizuho, and representatives from the Taipei Office of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, such as Kanzo Katayuki. They were accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China Lin Chia-lung and Secretary-General of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Fan Zhen-guo, who joined the delegation in the luncheon with President Lai. Vice President Hsiao Mei-chin, Secretary-General of the Presidential Office Pan Meng-an, and Secretary-General of the National Security Council Wu Zhaoxie were also present.