TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — DPP Legislator Lin Chu-yin (林楚茵) warned Monday that Taiwan-Japan relations should not deteriorate over what she described as Chinese interference, after Taiwan Representative to Japan Lee I-yang (李逸洋) refused to attend a ceremony commemorating the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on Sunday.
Lee declined to participate in the ceremony, arguing that his assigned seating belittled Taiwan’s national character and dignity. He alleged that the arrangement reflected what he described as the Nagasaki City Government’s subservience to China’s wishes.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that although the seating arrangement, which was closer to the area for foreign dignitaries, was an improvement over the 2025 arrangement, there were still shortcomings, per NOWNews. The ministry expressed regret over the city government’s handling of the matter but stressed that it still sent personnel to attend the ceremony.
The Nagasaki City Government responded that the seating arrangement was the same as in 2025, per FTNN. The city government explained that Lee was assigned to an area that also accommodates dignitaries when the special guest area cannot accommodate them. The special guest area is reserved for foreign dignitaries and high-ranking officials.
Commenting on the incident, Lin said Taiwan understands Nagasaki’s handling of the situation in the face of pressure from China, per UDN. She emphasized that, as both are democratic nations, Taiwan and Japan should not allow a single incident to affect their broader relationship.
DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) echoed Lin’s assessment, saying that although Taiwan was compelled to lodge a protest, the seating dispute would not damage the relationship between the two countries, per ETtoday. DPP caucus official Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) said the difference in seating arrangements between the Hiroshima and Nagasaki peace ceremonies highlights the importance of democracy.
KMT lawmaker and spokesperson Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭) praised Lee’s handling of the incident, saying Taiwan should make clear to the international community that it should not be belittled, per Liberty Times. He said that if the government could not reach a mutual understanding with the event organizers, skipping the ceremony was an acceptable response.
The All Japan Taiwanese Union issued a statement Sunday calling on the Nagasaki City Government to disclose the decision-making process behind the seating arrangement, per UDN. It also urged the city government not to bow to Chinese demands and to treat all participants in the ceremony equally.
