TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) office said she had no plans to visit Japan last year after the nation's media reported a visit was canceled due to concerns about China’s reaction.

Tsai’s office said it was aware of the reports on Friday. However, it said the former president's schedule contained no related plans, according to Tai Sounds.

Kyodo News reported on Thursday that several unnamed sources said Tsai was planning to visit Japan in July to pay tribute to former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo. The report stated that Japanese lawmakers nixed Tsai’s visit as their government negotiated with China to lift a seafood import ban.

The report said Tsai's trip was arranged by a cross-party group of Japanese parliamentarians that Abe advised. It said the group encouraged Tsai to visit Japan after she left office during a visit to the Presidential Office in January.

Tsai met Abe's widow in 2023, who said her late husband always thought about what he could do for Taiwan. She had online and in-person meetings with the late prime minister before that. 

Tsai's first overseas trip after leaving office was to Europe in October, where she visited France, Belgium, and the Czech Republic. Tsai also visited Canada in November to speak at the Halifax International Security Forum.