TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) announced on Monday that he will visit Japan to conduct parliamentary diplomacy and secure Tokyo’s continued support for Taiwan’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Chiu, the convener of the Legislative Yuan task force promoting Taiwan in the CPTPP, said at a press conference that his visit aims to deepen Japanese support and assess the feasibility of Taiwan’s accession through direct communication with members of the National Diet and senior officials in the economic and industrial sectors, according to CNA. He also plans to brief senior Japanese officials and lawmakers on Taiwan’s preparedness and the strategic significance of its CPTPP bid.

Chiu said Japan is one of the core members of the agreement and has long played a crucial role in regional economic governance and promoting institutional rules. Since Taiwan submitted its application to join the pact in September 2021, it has made domestic regulatory adjustments and institutional reforms to align with CPTPP standards, he said.

Taiwan was not included in CPTPP applicants’ accession procedures during the ninth CPTPP ministerial commission meeting last month, Chiu said, despite fully meeting all the standards.

National Cheng Kung University political science professor Wang Hung-jen (王宏仁), who was also at the press conference, said 2026 will be a critical year for Taiwan’s CPTPP accession, as favorable timing, conditions, and international support are converging for the first time. Japan has long supported Taiwan’s bid, while growing global concerns over China’s weaponization of economic tools and rare earths have made it even less likely that countries would back China’s CPTPP application, he said. In contrast, Taiwan has emerged as a stable partner embodying the principles of free trade.