TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — During a visit by Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), Taiwan's representative to Japan on Thursday (Sept. 24), Fuji TV welcomed him as the "ambassador to Japan," likely raising hackles in Beijing.

As Japan's new Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide takes the helm from former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, the Taiwanese public is watching closely to see whether warming relations, initiated by Abe, will continue. On Thursday, Hsieh posted photos on his Facebook page of his visit to Fuji TV headquarters in Japan's Odaiba that day.

In one of the photos, the TV screen reads "Warmly welcoming Taiwan's ambassador to Japan." After China's furor over Taiwanese representative to the U.S. Hsiao Bi-khim's (蕭美琴) changing her title to "Taiwan Ambassador to the US" on her Twitter account, there is anticipation in Taiwan that Beijing's sensitive communist regime will throw another tirade.

Hsieh wrote that his visit coincided with a Fuji TV documentary on William Kinnimond Burton's contributions to sanitary engineering in Japan. Hsieh pointed out that Burton had also planned the Taipei drinking water system.

As Hsieh entered the TV station's headquarters, he saw a photo of himself with the words welcoming "Taiwan's ambassador to Japan" displayed on a large screen alongside a portrait of Burton. Hsieh noted that 58 years ago, while Taiwan was still a colony of Japan, Fuji TV provided assistance to and was a shareholder of Taiwan Television (TTV).

He emphasized the station's deep relationship with Taiwan and the strong ties between the two countries. Hsien recalled that when late Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) passed away in July, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Fuji Media Holdings, Inc, Hisashi Hieda, came to the Taiwan Representative Office to pay his respects.

Caption reads "Taiwan Ambassador to Japan." (Facebook, Frank Hsieh photo)