TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Japanese Diet members Horii Iwao and Kokuba Konosuke, from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), on Tuesday (March 21) highlighted regional cooperation following their first in-person dialogue with Democratic Progressive Party Legislators Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) and Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) in Taipei.
Horii, the director of the LDP's Foreign Affairs Division, shared Japan's new “free and open” Indo-Pacific strategy, pointing out that the strategy has four key points, the first of which is the rule of law in the region, Liberty Times reported. One-sided changes to the status quo such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine must be opposed, he said.
Second, regional cooperation is divided into three areas, including how countries respond to climate change, international health issues, and fake news, he said.
Third, all countries and regions must be connected at multiple levels to achieve prosperity, Horii added.
Fourth, in terms of security, Japan will pay more attention to airspace issues, rather than focusing solely on maritime security. In this regard, Japan must strengthen international cooperation in regional security.
This strategy has been endorsed by many countries, including Taiwan, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and ASEAN countries, Liberty Times cited the politician as saying. The international community must cooperate to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, East Asia, and the Indo-Pacific, he said.
Horii said he strongly expects Tuesday’s 2+2 dialogue will contribute to regional peace and development.
Kokuba, the head of the LDP's National Defense Division, said that Japan and Taiwan share universal values and the friendship and affection between the two countries run deep. He praised bilateral relations, saying it demonstrates the two countries’ determination to contribute to regional peace and stability.
Additionally, Kokuba said Japan’s new national security strategy and defense planning reports published in December are vital to Japan's security and diplomacy. It was the first time in nine years that the strategy was revised, he noted.
The content concerning Taiwan was greatly increased, he added.
The closed-door meeting on Tuesday morning reportedly focused on Japan's national security strategy documents, Taiwan's recent defense and military reforms, the progress of Taiwan’s military cooperation with the U.S., and the situation in the Indo-Pacific and Taiwan Strait, CNA reported.
