TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) lauded Taipei-Tokyo ties during a meeting with Japan’s new representative to Taiwan Katayama Kazuyuki on Thursday (Nov. 30).

You underscored his responsibility for promoting parliamentary exchanges and said he was grateful for Japan's long-standing support for Taiwan, Liberty Times reported. He especially appreciated the late former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's statement that "a Taiwan emergency is an emergency for Japan.”

The legislative speaker acknowledged Japan's efforts in promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, which he said have contributed to Taiwan's stability.

He also explained Taiwan's democratization process to Katayama and discussed pivotal moments in the nation’s history, including the lifting of martial law.

Katayama said it was unfortunate that in his diplomatic career spanning over 40 years, he had not been assigned to Taiwan until now. He said he was delighted to be in Taiwan.

The representative highlighted the shared democratic values between Japan and Taiwan and reiterated Japan's support for Taiwan. He mentioned the recent G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Tokyo, which reaffirmed the importance of stability in the Taiwan Strait.