TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Japanese government reportedly rejected a visit by former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to attend a memorial for former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo out of concerns her attendance would anger China.

Under then-Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Tokyo was focused on lifting Beijing's ban on Japanese seafood, which had been imposed after treated wastewater was released from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, sources told Kyodo News on Thursday. Kishida's administration was concerned Tsai's appearance would escalate China-Japan tensions.

Tsai's visit was organized by a cross-party group of Japanese parliamentarians, committed to enhancing Tokyo-Taipei ties and previously advised by Abe. During a delegation trip to Taiwan near the presidential election in January last year and at other times, the group had suggested Tsai visit Japan after her tenure as president ended.

In response, Tsai, who left office in May last year, scheduled a trip to Tokyo to appear at a memorial for Abe in July. 

However, the Japanese government reportedly pressured ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Furuya Keiji, who leads the cross-party group, to cancel the visit, as "Japan-China relations are at an important stage," according to sources. Consequently, Tsai and Furuya agreed to reschedule her trip to Japan, the sources said.

China implemented a comprehensive ban on Japanese seafood imports after Japan started releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima facility into the Pacific Ocean in August 2023. In July of the same year, then-Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi (王毅), agreed to expedite discussions regarding the water release.

In September, both nations announced that China had consented to a phased resumption of Japanese seafood imports, provided that Beijing took part in monitoring efforts related to the discharge.

Even after leaving office in 2020 due to health concerns, Abe was widely viewed as a China hawk who strongly supported Taiwan and backed enhanced ties between Tokyo and Taipei, per the Institute for Security and Development Policy. 
Abe is still well-regarded in Taiwan with Kaohsiung erecting a statue in his honor just days before his state funeral in 2022.