TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has agreed to donate five Formosan cypress trees to Japan for the reconstruction of Okinawa’s Shuri Castle destroyed in a fire in 2019.

Built in the 14th century, the Shuri Castle acquired its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. It burned down in October 2019, which prompted the Japanese government to seek help from Taiwan because Formosan cypress timber was originally used to build the castle.

The request was submitted last year and approved last week following consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). Also known as Taiwan cypress, the trees to be donated hail from a planted forest in Yilan, each measuring 3.6 meters long and 40 to 50 centimeters in diameter, per the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency.

MOFA said the aid will not impact Taiwan’s cypress market, nor will it compromise the country’s environmental protection efforts. This serves as a reciprocal move in return for Japan’s timely 4.2 million vaccine doses to Taiwan at the peak of COVID-19.

Izumi Hiroyasu, the head of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (JTEA), expressed his gratitude to the Taiwanese government for the donation, saying in a Facebook post this bears testimony to the deepening friendship between the two countries. Rebuilding of the heritage site is expected to be complete by 2026, he added.

Taiwan cypress trunks to be donated to Japan. (Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency/CNA photo)