During a meeting with a delegation led by Japanese House of Representatives Member Yasuhisa Shiozaki on the afternoon of October 30, President Ma Ying-jeou stated that while the ROC (Taiwan) and Japan do not have diplomatic relations, the two sides maintain close ties, and he further called for expanded cooperation and interaction in the future.
Representative Shiozaki and his delegation are holding a Taiwan-Japan Shi Tsu Ke calligraphy invitational exhibition at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei to express their appreciation to the people of Taiwan for their assistance to Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011. President Ma expressed his wishes for a successful exhibit.
The president remarked that Taiwan experienced a large earthquake on September 21, 1999 and devastating floods and landslides after Typhoon Morakot in August 2009. In both instances, Japan generously extended a helping hand to Taiwan, he said. Consequently, when the huge tremor struck Japan last year, triggering a tsunami and a nuclear accident, the people of Taiwan stepped forward to provide assistance to the people of Japan, who they see as their brothers, the president said. Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng in July of this year led a delegation of legislators from Taiwan, along with representatives from the tourism industry and the media, to visit the disaster areas and express their concern. Thanks to a tremendous effort by people throughout Japan, reconstruction work is progressing in disaster areas, the president said. He furthermore expressed his deepest hopes that Japan will be able to complete the reconstruction work as soon as possible so that everything can return to normal there.
President Ma commented that Taiwan and Japan in September of last year inked the Bilateral Investment Arrangement, which was followed in November by the signing of an open skies agreement. These two pacts will greatly help to advance bilateral relations, he said, pointing out that in the first eight months of this year, Japanese companies were responsible for the largest number of foreign investments cases here. Meanwhile, in the wake of the open skies agreement, the number of cities served by carriers of the two nations has increased by 90%, while the number of flights has risen by 45%. This is unprecedented in the bilateral aviation relationship, he remarked. President Ma also stated that even with the longstanding friendship between the two countries, there remain many areas in which cooperation can be expanded and opportunities for greater interaction exist.
With respect to cultural interaction between the two nations, President Ma stated that Taiwan's National Palace Museum is expected to hold an exhibition of items from its collection in Japan in 2014, while the Tokyo National Museum has also agreed to reciprocate by staging an exhibition in Taiwan of a selection of art from the Japanese imperial collection. At the same time, Japan's Takarazuka Revue, a renowned opera troupe, intendsis scheduled to stage performances in Taiwan in April of next year, he said. President Ma noted that he visited Fukuoka 11 years ago and on that trip had the opportunity to seewatch a performance by the troupe, which he said left a deep impression on him. The president stated that he is sure that superb performances of the troupe will be thoroughly enjoyed by the public here.
In addition to Representative Shiozaki, the delegation included the Shitsuke no Kai foundation's Honorary Chairman Nobuo Ishihara and President Naoko Itou, and Ibaraki Prefecture Governor Masaru Hashimoto. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Japan Interchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Sumio Tarui to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting were Association of East Asian Relations Chairman Liao Liou-yi (廖了以), National Security Council Advisor Lee Chia-chin (李嘉進), and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tung Kuoyu (董國猷).