TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – When a disaster happens in Japan, Taiwan is always the first to help, Japanese Upper House member Saito Renho (斉藤蓮舫) said Friday (June 14), emphasizing the importance of city-to-city diplomacy.

Renho will try to unseat Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko (小池百合子), who is running for a third term in elections scheduled for July 7. Known by her given name in Japanese politics, Renho, aged 56, is the daughter of a Taiwanese father, but had to renounce her Taiwanese citizenship when it became a political issue in 2016.

Speaking at an international news conference Friday, the candidate discussed the details of her campaign platform, per CNA. The focus of the event was on international relations, environmental protection, and disaster prevention and relief.

She said that although time and distance might be a problem, Tokyo should still send its rescue teams to other regions and countries in the case of disasters. Taiwan’s example of providing aid to Japan convinced her of the role city-to-city diplomacy can play in international relations, she added.

Both Renho and Koike have maintained close ties to Taiwan, paying visits to the country on several occasions. Koike last visited Taipei in February for meetings with then-President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), then-Vice President and President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德), and Taipei City Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安).