President Ma noted that Chuo University was founded in 1885 and over the past 100-plus years has established an outstanding reputation in Japan's academic community. The university exhibits particular strength in legal research, and it has become an important center for study in that field, having trained countless outstanding persons. For instance, presently 36 members of Japan's parliament are graduates of Chuo University. If legislative assistants or secretaries are added, over 200 alumni of Chuo University are involved in Japan's parliament. Graduates from the university are prominent in Japan's political circles, the president said, adding that he believes the academic achievements of Chuo University are among the most impressive in the world.
President Ma also expressed his hopes that Chancellor Nagai will take advantage of his visit to Taiwan to interact with a wide range of individuals in Taiwan's academic community, so as to foster cooperation and contacts between the two countries.
Chancellor Nagai expressed his appreciation to President Ma for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with him. He also remarked that Japan is presently promoting a project to recruit 300,000 students from overseas. He said he hopes that this visit to Taiwan will help to strengthen channels for communication between Chuo University and Taiwan's outstanding universities, and at the same time assist in bolstering friendship and goodwill between the people of Taiwan and Japan.