President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of April 28 with a delegation from Japan led by Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council Chairman Takeo Hiranuma. The president explained recent progress in relations between the ROC and Japan, and expressed hope for even greater cooperation in the future.
In remarks, President Ma stated that the lawmakers from both nations have close interaction, due largely to the contact maintained by the members of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council. The president pointed out that a total of 270 parliamentarians from the two houses of Japan's parliament (Diet) are members of the council, making it the largest non-partisan Taiwan friendship group in Japan's legislature. President Ma added that he hopes the friendly relationship will continue on a sustainable path in the future.
As for relations between Taiwan and Japan, the president said, last year was a particularly fruitful one. He pointed out that a fisheries agreement between the two was signed in April of last year. This agreement has provided fishing grounds to Taiwanese fishermen double the size of Taiwan, he said, adding that a standing Taiwan-Japan fisheries committee has been created to gradually resolve other fishing-related issues and disputes. The agreement has been quite a successful in the year since it has taken effect and has been applauded by the international community, which regard it as a successful example of the use of diplomatic means to resolve an international dispute, he stated. Furthermore, the president said, the Taiwan-Japan Arrangement for Mutual Cooperation on Electronic Commerce and the Memorandum of Understanding for the Mutual Co-operation in the Field of Financial Supervision were signed in November of last year, commenting that these pacts will have long lasting significance in the development of overall relations between the two countries.
President Ma also mentioned that the Japanese government recently announced that it will complete strict safety inspections of the nation's nuclear plants and then reinstate the use of nuclear power. He said that Japan has moved from a stance of totally abandoning nuclear power to the resumption of nuclear power plant operations. The president noted that the policy considerations and the decision-making process offer important reference for Taiwan. As nuclear energy issue has been hotly debated here, Taiwan hopes to further understand and learn of Japan's experience in this area, he stated.
The president then discussed tourism ties between the two sides. He mentioned that in the three years since the conclusion of an open skies agreement between Taiwan and Japan, people-to-people ties have increased considerably. Last year, 397 flights flew routes between the two countries weekly, and the number of visits by nationals of the two countries exceeded 3.76 million, which was a new high. President Ma stated that the number of visits made to Japan by visitors from Taiwan was over 2.34 million last year, up 50.36% from 2012. However, the number of Japanese visitors to Taiwan fell by 0.75% last year from the previous year due to depreciation of the Japanese yen, he remarked. Taiwan and Japan have set a goal of four million visits each year, and the president said he hopes that the visiting parliamentarians will encourage more people from Japan to travel to Taiwan.
As for trade and economic relations, President Ma mentioned, Japan is Taiwan's second largest trading partner and an important source of foreign investment and technology. Meanwhile, Taiwan is Japan's fifth largest trading partner, he said. The president expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan will be able to sign an economic cooperation agreement, which would help to forge even greater breakthroughs in economic and trade relations.
The delegation included Japan Interchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Sumio Tarui, and House of Representatives Members Takao Fujii and Mrs. Fujii, Kee Miki, and Toshihide Muraoka.