TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) returned from Japan on Saturday following a six-day city diplomacy trip aimed at strengthening ties and studying dome stadium construction.

During her visit to Sapporo, Nagoya, and Tokyo, Lu met with city officials, including Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko, and held discussions with the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, according to a Taichung city government press release.

As part of the trip, Lu signed a friendship exchange memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Nagoya city government to promote future cooperation.

A key focus of her visit was inspecting dome stadiums, including Es Con Field Hokkaido, Sapporo Dome, Nagoya Dome, and Tokyo Dome, to gain insights into design and construction, and she held meetings with local architectural firms.

Taichung is currently constructing a domed stadium but also plans to build a larger venue capable of hosting baseball games and major international entertainment events.

Lu hailed the trip as a success, describing it as “fruitful.”