Taipei, July 31 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian expressed the hope Thursday that Japan will allow tourists from Taiwan to stay in Japan for at least two weeks without a visa.
He told Takahashi Masaje, the newly appointed director-general of the Japanese Interchange Association in Taipei, that the economic and trade relations between the two countries are very close. The two-way trade between them amounted to US$39.28 billion in 2002 with a trade surplus of US$15.3 billion in Japan's favor. Taiwanese tourists to Japan in the same year totaled 880,000.
Taiwan began on May 1 to grant 30-day visa-free entry for Japanese tourists, in the hope that Japan will reciprocate by giving tourists from Taiwan at least a two-week, visa-free entry.
President Chen also expressed the hope that during his tenure substantive relations between the two countries will improve.