TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —Taiwan’s representative to Japan met with leaders of Tokyo’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party after the party’s strong showing in the lower house elections last week. 

Representative Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) held meetings with the LDP Chair of the General Council Arimura Haruko, and the Chair of the Policy Research Council Kobayashi Takayuki. The Japanese leaders and Lee discussed the current international situation, the threat posed by China in the region, and bilateral cooperation between Taiwan and Japan in the tech industry, reported CNA. 

Arimura and Kobayashi, along with the LDP secretary-general, are the three most influential members of the party responsible for drafting policy, per CNA. Lee’s meeting with Arimura and Kobayashi is a good sign that Taiwan-Japan relations will remain close under the newly strengthened LDP government, with Takaichi Sanae leading as prime minister.

In a post shared on social media, Lee noted that Arimura has served in Japan’s parliament for 25 years and has frequently expressed support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. Lee and Arimura had a productive discussion on deepening cooperation between Japan and Taiwan on critical issues.

With Kobayashi, Lee reportedly discussed fiscal matters and exchanged views on Takaichi’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Lee said they also discussed how Taiwan might assist Japan in developing a more resilient supply chain for critical technologies.

Kobayashi is considered a rising star in Japanese politics and represents the younger generation of LDP leaders. He is also a longtime friend of Taiwan, and has made multiple visits to Taipei to meet Cabinet-level officials. 

In his social media posts, Lee said these meetings with LDP leaders demonstrate a clear consensus on enhancing bilateral ties to counter threats posed by China in the region.