President Ma Ying-jeou met on the afternoon of August 15 with former Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada, who is now a member of the House of Representatives. The president cordially welcomed Mr. Okada to Taiwan and briefed him on achievements in bilateral economic and trade ties as well as cooperation in the areas of tourism, culture, and disaster relief.
In remarks, President Ma stated that August 15 marked the 69th anniversary of the end of World War II, a date of special importance to Taiwan and Japan. The president said that this meeting with two members of Japan's House of Representatives was thus all the more meaningful. He noted that the geographic proximity of Taiwan and Japan has given rise to deep historical and cultural ties. Only by facing history frankly can the two sides move into the future in a positive manner, he said, adding that cooperation from both sides is needed.
President Ma noted that Mr. Okada previously served as deputy prime minister, minister for foreign affairs, and secretary-general of the Democratic Party of Japan. Meanwhile, Mr. Motohisa Furukawa, member of the House of Representatives, previously served as chairman of the Cabinet Committee (House of Representatives) and minister for national policy. The president thanked the two visitors for their efforts over the years to promote relations between Taiwan and Japan, and for assisting in the passage of the Law Concerning Promotion of Exhibitions of Art Objects from Overseas, the Taiwan-Japan Bilateral Investment Arrangement, an open skies agreement, and a change in how nationality is indicated on the resident cards issued to ROC nationals residing in Japan.
President Ma explained to the visitors that, in light of the unique ties between Taiwan and Japan, he designated the relationship as a "special partnership" soon after taking office in 2008, and since then Taiwan has strived to promote interaction at all levels. Over the past six years, the two sides have seen important progress in the areas of economic and trade ties, tourism, and culture, he commented. The president added that bilateral relations are at their closest since the two sides severed diplomatic ties in 1972.
As for economic and trade ties, President Ma pointed out that Japan is Taiwan's second largest trading partner, while Taiwan is Japan's fourth largest. Bilateral trade last year amounted to US$62.3 billion, he said, and there have been important advances in recent years, such as the signing of the Taiwan-Japan Bilateral Investment Arrangement in 2011, and the Taiwan government's launch of the Taiwan-Japan Industrial Collaboration Bridging Project. Such developments will further deepen bilateral economic, trade, and investment ties.
President Ma pointed out that Japanese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Kuni Sato indicated at an international press conference on June 18 of this year that the Japanese government welcomes Taiwan's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The president expressed his appreciation for this stance, and further noted that Taiwan last year signed the ANZTEC economic cooperation agreement with New Zealand and the ASTEP economic partnership agreement with Singapore. He said that Taiwan hopes to take part in negotiations on the TPP and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, just like Japan. At the same time, the president remarked, Taiwan and Japan could also sign an economic partnership agreement and an avoidance of double taxation agreement that would push trade and economic relations to new levels.
President Ma explained that six years ago fewer than 250 flights operated weekly between Taiwan and Japan, but the number now exceeds 460, with flights servicing 19 airports in 18 cities throughout Japan. According to the latest Asian Intelligence report issued by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, while the number of visitors to Asian countries from January to May of this year was comparable to the same period last year, the growth in the number of visitors to Japan and Taiwan ranked at the top, indicating the vibrant development of the tourism industry in both nations, he said.
The president further stated that data from Taiwan's Tourism Bureau indicates that Taiwanese made 2.34 million visits to Japan last year, up 50% from the previous year and a new record high. In the first half of this year, Taiwanese made nearly 1.47 million visits to Japan, up another 32.3% year-on-year and now more than the number of tourists from Korea, making Taiwan the largest source of foreign visitors to Japan, he said. He noted that Japan has set a goal of attracting 20 million visits by foreigners a year by 2020, and Taiwan already constitutes an important market for Japan in this respect.
President Ma also mentioned that in June of this year Taiwan's National Palace Museum (NPM) began showing works from its collection at the Tokyo National Museum in an exhibit that will run until September 15. Among the items displayed overseas for the first time during this exhibit are the Cold Food Observance, a work of calligraphy by Su Shi (1036-1101) of the Northern Song period (960-1127), and the Jadeite Cabbage. The exhibit has already attracted over 220,000 visits, marking a new zenith in bilateral cultural ties, he said, adding that the exhibit will continue at the Kyushu National Museum in October and November. In addition, he noted, the Tokyo National Museum and the Kyushu National Museum are scheduled to exhibit selected treasures from the Japanese imperial court at Taiwan's NPM Southern Branch in 2016. These reciprocal exhibits will constitute a further step in cultural interaction between the two sides, he remarked.
President Ma also expressed concern regarding the heavy rain caused by Typhoon Halong in Mie Prefecture, Mr. Okada's hometown, and expressed hope that residents there can resume their normal lives as soon as possible. The president stated that five years ago Typhoon Morakot triggered four days of torrential rains in southern and eastern Taiwan, resulting in about 3,000 millimeters of rainfall. Even the Alishan Visitor Information Center, at an altitude of over 2,000 meters, was submerged under two meters of water, he said. Japan immediately provided Taiwan with generous assistance, for which the nation was deeply grateful. President Ma called for continued cooperation in disaster preparedness and relief to benefit the people of both nations.
President Ma also mentioned that former Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba twice expressed positive views of the East China Sea Peace Initiative that he put forward in 2012. Since then, the two sides have signed a fisheries agreement that has reduced the number of fishing-related disputes between the two sides to just one, versus 17 in the year prior to the signing of the agreement. The agreement enables Taiwanese fishermen to operate in a larger area, which has significantly increased their catch. President Ma noted that US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel and US Secretary of State John Kerry have both publicly applauded the initiative. In particular, he said, Secretary of State Kerry stated in Hawaii that even though the viewpoints of Taiwan and Japan are different, the two have used peaceful methods to resolve a dispute. Kerry added that the means of solving this issue and the content of the resolution are in line with the fundamental values embraced by the United States. President Ma said that the government will take a similar approach to other issues in the region to achieve peace and prosperity.