TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council, Japan’s largest cross-party parliamentary group supporting Taiwan, changed its name Thursday to the Japan-Taiwan Diet Members’ Consultative Council.
CNA reported that Taiwan’s Representative to Japan Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) said the change marked an important moment in Taiwan-Japan relations. He said it showed friendship between the two sides would continue to deepen.
Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said she was moved to see “Taiwan” included in the group’s new name. She said the change recognized Taiwan’s democracy, people, and identity.
The Sankei Shimbun reported that the group said the name change was more than symbolic. Members said it showed Taiwan-Japan parliamentary exchanges were becoming more formal and more focused on policy.
The group said the new name brings Taiwan-Japan parliamentary exchanges closer to Japan’s ties with other partners. It also said its members showed support for Taiwan had grown in Japan’s parliament, as more lawmakers see peace in the Taiwan Strait as important to Japan’s security.
The group was founded in 1973 as the Japan-ROC Relations Diet Members’ Consultative Council, one year after Japan cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan. It was launched by 27 lawmakers and later grew to about 300 members, per Liberty Times.
The group was reorganized in 1997 into its current form and is now led by Furuya Keiji. Furuya has long supported deeper Japan-Taiwan ties and visited Taiwan in March to meet President Lai Ching-te (賴清德).
