TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Legislative Yuan’s East Asia Parliamentary Friendship Association revealed on Tuesday (Dec. 9) that former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe intends to visit Taiwan in the near future.
While asking a question, East Asia Parliamentary Friendship Association head and Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) disclosed Tuesday that Abe is willing to visit Taiwan as soon as next year. This comes after seven cross-party legislators held a press conference in October, publicly inviting former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to visit Taiwan in 2021.
Independent Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) and Kuomintang Legislator Wen Yu-hsia (溫玉霞) asked the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee Tuesday about the possibility of Abe visiting Taiwan, Liberty Times reported. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Kuang-chung (田光中) responded, “We are optimistic about the news and welcome Abe’s visit.” Lim then asked if the trip was possible, to which Tien said, “yes.”
Tien said that officials have not yet received relevant news about Abe's visit to Taiwan, but he knows that the Taiwanese public is looking forward to the visit and is pleased it is happening.
Taiwan-Japan relations have been warming since President Tsai Ing-wen’s second term. In November, Japanese lawmakers from a bipartisan Diet caucus passed a resolution urging the Japanese government to endorse Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly.
