TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Japanese House of Representatives members Taira Masaaki, Kihara Seiji, and Nishino Daisuke are visiting Taiwan from Wednesday to Friday.
The delegation will hold talks with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), according to the foreign ministry. The group will also visit government ministries, including the defense and digital affairs ministries.
Taira previously served as Japan’s digital affairs ministry and as a senior cabinet vice minister, the foreign ministry said. He is well-versed in Japan’s digital, cybersecurity, and economic affairs, the ministry said. Representatives Kihara and Nishino have also held key government positions, and all three lawmakers are “influential pillars of the Japanese political scene,” it added.
The ministry said that Taiwan and Japan share core values such as freedom and human rights, and are partners along the First Island Chain. The delegation’s visit will deepen cooperation between Taiwan and Japan in areas such as economy, trade, and technology, it said.
Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kunimitsu Ayano expressed concern about rising tensions in the East and South China Sea during a UN Security Council meeting Monday. Kunimitsu said Tokyo opposes any attempts to alter the regional status quo, including impeding freedom of navigation and overflight.
The minister said Japan would continue partnering with the UN to “maintain and reinforce a free and open maritime order based on the rule of law.”
The Japanese destroyer JS Ikazuchi sailed through the Taiwan Strait on April 16, making it the fourth passage of a Japanese naval vessel in recent years. It is believed to be heading south to join military exercises between Japan and the Philippines.
