President Tsai meets new Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki of Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office
On the morning of December 11, President Tsai Ing-wen met with new Chief Representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Katayama Kazuyuki. In remarks, President Tsai said that Taiwan and Japan share the values of freedom and democracy and that it is our shared mission to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The president thanked the Japanese government for its firm support of peace across the Taiwan Strait and expressed hope that in the future Taiwan and Japan will continue to deepen our economic and trade partnership and work together to contribute to the prosperity and development of the Indo-Pacific region. She also said she looks forward to working together to spur exchanges between Taiwan and Japan across fields and generations, strengthen our friendship, and open a new chapter in our bilateral ties.
A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:
First, on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Katayama as he begins his new post as chief representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office. Chief Representative Katayama is a seasoned diplomat who is deeply familiar with Taiwan. I know that when he was studying in the US, he researched the process of democratization in Taiwan. Now that he has been posted to Taiwan, I am quite sure that he will be able to attain an even deeper understanding of Taiwan's democratic achievements.
Taiwan and Japan share the values of freedom and democracy. It is also our shared mission to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Japanese government for its firm support of peace across the Taiwan Strait. After the recent G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the Japan-UK Foreign and Defence Ministers' Meeting in November, Japan reiterated in joint statements the importance of peace across the Taiwan Strait to global and regional stability.
Taiwan is willing and able to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership as well as global and regional organizations. We hope that in the future, with the support of Chief Representative Katayama, Taiwan and Japan will continue to deepen our economic and trade partnership and work together to contribute to the prosperity and development of the Indo-Pacific region.
Chief Representative Katayama once mentioned that he hopes after assuming this position to meet and interact with as many Taiwanese people as possible and turn more of them into fans of Japan. This goal happens to resonate with something Taiwan seeks to achieve in Japan, which is to contribute to the cultivation of more Taiwan experts. We look forward to working together with Chief Representative Katayama to spur exchanges between Taiwan and Japan across fields and generations, strengthen our friendship, and open a new chapter in our bilateral ties.
Chief Representative Katayama then delivered remarks, thanking President Tsai for taking the time to meet him. He said that he has served in Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for over 40 years, that he has worked in the US, China, Belgium, and Malaysia, and that he has also served as the Japanese ambassador to Peru. Now, he said, he is deeply honored to have the opportunity to serve as chief representative in Taiwan, which is very friendly to Japan and has a very close relationship with Japan.
Chief Representative Katayama said that he has visited Taiwan five times previously, for tourism and business, and that his last visit was in 2006. He mentioned that he has noticed a lot of changes in Taiwan after 17 years, adding that he will do his best to catch up with those changes and personally experience this beautiful island.
Chief Representative Katayama said that he wrote his master's thesis on the democratization of Taiwan when he was studying in the US in 1986. Now, he said, Taiwan's democratization is even more comprehensive. As the presidential and legislative elections will be held on January 13 next year, Chief Representative Katayama said he is very happy to be taking office at this time, when he can personally experience the progress of democratization in Taiwan.
Chief Representative Katayama pointed out that Taiwan and Japan are very important partners who share the common values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. He said that our countries have developed very friendly relations in the process of addressing natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a virtuous cycle. He explained that this is all thanks to the efforts of President Tsai and Taiwanese from all walks of life.
Chief Representative Katayama said that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are of utmost importance to Taiwan and the international community, including Japan, adding that the recent G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Tokyo reaffirmed that importance.
Chief Representative Katayama also acknowledged the role of the younger generation in Taiwan-Japan relations. He said that marching bands from high schools in Japan have been invited to Taiwan to perform at our National Day Celebration for two consecutive years, and that recently, students from the Kyoto Tachibana Senior High School Band returned to perform in Taiwan. While thanking the president for providing these bands with such great opportunities, he said, this also made him realize that he has a responsibility to help make the friendship between Taiwan and Japan even deeper and broader.
In closing, Chief Representative Katayama said that during his term, he will work hard to help more Taiwanese and Japanese people understand each other's importance while continuing to promote exchanges across multiple areas, including economic, cultural, academic, and personnel.