Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of August 22, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a study delegation from the Youth Division of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP). In remarks, President Tsai said that young people drive a society's growth and development, and noted that over the past few years, Taiwan and Japan have worked hand in hand to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. The president said that as we still face a number of global issues, including climate change and disinformation, she hopes that our societies can share their experiences in responding to these issues and that younger generations can participate in our efforts to find solutions. The president also said she looks forward to more discussions and exchanges among Taiwanese and Japanese youth on a wide range of topics, and hopes that the LDP Youth Division's tradition of engaging with Taiwan will continue, so that we can achieve even more through the Taiwan-Japan friendship. 

A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:

I welcome all of the delegation members to Taiwan. When former Prime Minister Aso Taro of Japan visited Taiwan early this month, he mentioned that he had visited Taiwan before as director of the LDP Youth Division. The former prime minister expressed his belief that it is thanks to this longstanding tradition established by the Youth Division that Taiwan and Japan enjoy such a good relationship.

LDP Youth Division Director Suzuki Norikazu also visited Taiwan this past May along with several good friends from the Japanese Diet. At that time, I said we believe that youth participation in politics is a topic on which Taiwan and Japan can conduct in-depth exchanges. I am very happy to see a delegation from the LDP Youth Division in Taiwan just a few months later. This is the first time since 2019 that the Youth Division has sent a large-scale study group to Taiwan.

Taiwan and Japan are good friends who support each other and are important partners in such areas as trade, tourism, and technology. We are very thankful to Japan for speaking out for Taiwan at international events and supporting Taiwan's international participation. Taiwan will work with Japan to uphold regional peace and stability while spurring development and prosperity.

Over the past few years, Taiwan and Japan have worked hand in hand to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. But today we still face a number of global issues, including climate change and the threat of disinformation. Our societies can share their experiences in responding to these issues. And in the course of our efforts to find solutions, we very much hope to see the participation of younger generations.

Young people drive a society's growth and development. In Taiwan our government encourages young people to get involved in public affairs and strives to help them achieve their dreams. In recent years, for example, we have learned from Japan, pursuing the strategy of regional revitalization as a means of helping young people return to their hometowns to start businesses.

I know that all of you are young people with a strong interest in and passion for public affairs. I hope that your visit will bring about increased discussions and exchanges among Taiwanese and Japanese youth on a wide range of topics. And I hope that you will continue the LDP Youth Division's tradition of engaging with Taiwan, so that we can achieve even more through the Taiwan-Japan friendship. 

Director Suzuki then delivered remarks, thanking President Tsai for taking the time to meet with them. He said that Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun (游錫堃) had mentioned during a banquet he hosted the night before that there is a saying in Taiwan, "unfamiliar at the first meeting, familiar at the second, and friends by the third," adding that this is his third time visiting the Presidential Office and his third time meeting with the president.

Director Suzuki said that the LDP Youth Division had suspended their overseas study visits for the past few years due to the pandemic, and that now they were able to form a delegation to visit Taiwan comprising 65 members, including members of the Japanese Diet, local representatives, and university students, noting that the students in particular carry a major responsibility for the future. With the pandemic subsiding and borders gradually opening up, Director Suzuki said that there have been frequent visits between Taiwan and Japan. The LDP Youth Division has been conducting exchanges with Taiwan for more than half a century, he said, and they will continue that tradition moving forward to help Taiwan-Japan relations reach new heights.

Director Suzuki mentioned that their predecessor at the LDP Youth Division former Prime Minister Aso said during a recent visit that Taiwan and Japan will face challenges together. Former Prime Minister Aso is an avid fan of manga, Director Suzuki said, and he has heard that the former prime minister created quite a sensation in Taiwan when he brought up several manga-related topics during his last visit.

Director Suzuki then pointed out that Taiwan and Japan had frequent interaction in the field of animation during the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Having attended an expo in Shinjuku, Japan this past March on Taiwanese and Japanese manga, Director Suzuki noted that the manga at the expo was particularly moving and expressed his hope that cultural exchanges like this can continue into the future.

Director Suzuki said that Japan sees Taiwan as an important partner with which it shares the universal values of freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights. Noting that Taiwan and Japan also cooperate closely on economic affairs and energy, he expressed hope that our steadfast friendship will continue to develop and stand the test of time.

Director Suzuki stated that at the G7 Hiroshima Summit this past May the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait was reiterated, as this is not only in the interest of Japan, but vitally important to the whole international community. Especially now that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has lasted for more than a year, he stated that as far as Japan is concerned, no unilateral changes to the status quo by force can be accepted, no matter what excuse is given for such changes. Therefore, he said, we must send a strong message affirming this stance to the international community and will work through diplomacy to prevent such changes from taking place.

Stating that the next day he will lead some members of the LDP delegation, accompanied by several Taiwanese legislators, to Palau, Director Suzuki expressed hope that Taiwan, Japan, and Palau can engage in discussions on topics such as peace, stability, and development in the Indo-Pacific region and our future collaboration.

Commenting on Taiwan's application to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, Director Suzuki said that Japan's consistent position is that it welcomes Taiwan and that the LDP Youth Division will do its utmost to provide assistance in this effort. Director Suzuki added that global cooperation is needed to resolve many issues, including pandemics and climate change, which is why Japan and the LDP Youth Division will do their best to support Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

The delegation also included Japanese House of Representatives Members Fujiwara Takashi, Nakasone Yasutaka, Nishino Daisuke, Yamaguchi Susumu, and Miyaji Takuma, House of Councillors Members Kamiya Masayuki and Fujii Kazuhiro, and Saitama Prefectural Assembly Member Hosoda Yoshinori, as well as Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Izumi Hiroyasu.