A delegation of 31 Japanese bipartisan lawmakers attended the inauguration ceremony of Taiwan’s new president, Tsai Ing-wen, in Taipei on Monday (May 20). The delegation expressed Japan’s hope to further deepen its relationship with Taiwan.
The Secretary-General of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Toshihiro Nikai, emphasized that Taiwan is an important partner and an irreplaceable friend to Japan. He stated that both countries share fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, and that Japan seeks to enhance its ties with Taiwan.
According to a report by Nikkei Asia, Japan is intensifying its bipartisan diplomacy with Taiwan in response to the growing military threats from China. Japan not only engages with Taiwan’s ruling party but also actively conducts diplomatic activities with opposition parties in Taiwan.
Unlike the United States, which maintains unofficial direct dialogue with Taiwan through the Taiwan Relations Act passed in 1979, Japan does not have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In most cases, officials from both sides do not engage directly, making parliamentary diplomacy crucial in fostering relations.
Japan is strengthening its dialogue with Taiwan’s opposition parties through parliamentary diplomacy. The increasing influence of opposition parties on Taiwan’s policies is the driving force behind this initiative. In January this year, Tsai Ing-wen won the presidential election with less than half of the votes, but her Democratic Progressive Party lost control of the legislature.
Some voices within the LDP’s Foreign Affairs Division, particularly within the “Taiwan Policy Taskforce,” believe that dialogue with the clearly pro-Beijing Kuomintang (KMT) in Taiwan is crucial. They argue that a shared understanding of the long-term threat posed by China will lead to a more unified approach towards China’s policies.
Last Wednesday (May 15), Aso Taro, Vice President of the LDP and former Prime Minister, met with Jiang Wan-an, the grandson of Chiang Kai-shek and a member of the opposition Kuomintang, at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo. Both expressed their desire to enhance long-term cooperation through expanding exchanges between Japanese and Taiwanese cities.
In late April, a delegation of lawmakers led by Suzuki Takako, Head of the LDP Youth Division, visited Taiwan and met with Ko Wen-je, Chairman of the second-largest opposition party in Taiwan, the Taiwan People’s Party. They aimed to establish connections with the growing support from young people in Taiwan for the Taiwan People’s Party.
In response to China’s increasingly pressing threats towards Taiwan, last Friday (May 17), US Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, visited Yonaguni Island, the westernmost island of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan, which is just 111 kilometers away from Taiwan. This visit, seen as a form of deterrence against China’s military pressure, marked the first official visit by a US ambassador to the area.
William Burns, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), publicly stated that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has instructed the military to prepare for a possible invasion of Taiwan by 2027. It is becoming increasingly necessary for the US, Japan, and Taiwan to deepen their cooperation in the defense and economic sectors to enhance deterrence capabilities.